tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36648459224944512462018-05-24T11:42:30.629+04:00Abu Dhabi DispatchesMy very own unusual perspective as an American expat living and working in The Sand Box.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-10588864170193127942012-07-11T19:44:00.007+04:002012-07-12T18:48:27.425+04:00Sex and the City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A movie with the same title of this post was made a couple of years ago in which our favorite "Carousing &nbsp;Cougars", Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha decided to wing their way to Abu Dhabi and relieve a few wealthy Sheiks of their <i>dish-dash-ah</i>'s and dignity.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AVYLjUNILtw?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/PgYpfTuPa4o?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div>The fact is the UAE government forbade the movie to be shot in the country due to the sexual nature of the film. Production was in Morocco and some sets were made in that country that mimicked Abu Dhabi landmarks. This is obvious in the above clips. In the first one, mountains are seen in the background. There are no mountains in the Abu Dhabi area except that big rock near Al Ain. The second clip shows an outburst by one of the gals in a public place that surely would have resulted in jail time and possibly deportation in Abu Dhabi. The middle finger is best not used there!<br /><br />&nbsp;You might ask why the producers just didn't have our lascivious ladies travel to Morocco in the screenplay. That would make more sense, right? Most Americans don't know the difference between the two countries anyway. I suspect the UAE government was a major investor in the film in exchange for Abu Dhabi's worldwide exposure by the film. Ironically, the movie was never screened there.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;What got me thinking of this attitude about sexuality was a <a href="http://neilandcaz.blogspot.com/2012/07/and-todays-daily-deal-is.html">Post </a>by my Blog- Buddy Neil. In UAE supermarkets and pharmacies, all kinds of sexual lotions, oils and condoms are prominently displayed. &nbsp;Viagra, Cialis and other ED drugs are sold over the counter right next to the headache pills. A lot of Westerners who consider Arab countries as extremely prudish would be surprised at what goes on.<br /><br />One Dirty Little Secret is that prostitution is rampant in Abu Dhabi, much less than in Dubai but common nonetheless. In just about any tourist hotel you can find ladies that "play for pay". &nbsp;Some venues are more active than others. In the bar of one internationally branded hotel, I would get latched onto and my crotch grabbed by a girl(s) 5 minutes after walking in the door. It was Ladies' Night &nbsp;all night, every night at this place. A co-worker had a phone number he could call and "special order" a girl and she would show up within the hour. I've heard rumors of brothels on the outskirts of town near the labor camps to service those guys.<br /><br />&nbsp;These women are not the "crack whores" &nbsp;one would find at street level in many Western countries. They are regular women that are supplementing their meager day jobs as housekeepers and cooks.. Most are Fillipinas and Chinese but a large number of Eastern Europeans are showing up. This type of activity is about as open as can be without being obvious to the average citizen. The police and officials certainly know about it and seem to turn a blind eye. I have several theories for this:<br /><br />1. Money. Someone in the high strata of the local society and/or business community is making a fortune and the word coming down to police is to ignore all but the most attention-attracting behaviors.<br /><br />&nbsp;2. Seeing how the vast majority of expats are men, the government is quietly allowing the sex industry to exist as an "outlet". In a country where it is illegal for an unmarried couple to co-habitate, dating is next to impossible due to the M/F ratio and local women are <i>Verboten!</i>, such "outlets" are normally few and far between.<br /><br />3. A &nbsp;combination of the above. The UAE is a very self-conscious country with a tinge of an inferiority complex.<br /><br />If my theories are right, I think it is an example of forward thinking to unofficially allow the sex industry to quietly operate. It solves what could be potential problems although I think the money angle trumps any altruism from the government. Hey, I don't care...it works and everybody seems happy with the arrangement. &nbsp;Just like everything else in the UAE, things are very different when you scratch below the surface. Beware not to take so much rope that they can hang you with, however. Keep your head low. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span> <span style="background-color: white;"> </span> </div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com605tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-44482890768749984712012-07-11T19:16:00.001+04:002012-07-11T19:16:22.015+04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-2292927475910398302012-07-11T17:01:00.001+04:002012-07-11T17:01:40.834+04:00Echoer Videos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Here are a couple of videos of how the Echoer app works:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AV6ncuZpYbg?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/k1AervWwVlE?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br /><br />This has me excited. It combines all the best features of Twitter, Facebook, and Google Maps into one original and unique app. Echoer is brand new and is just now debuting worldwide.<br /><br />Try it! &nbsp; <a href="http://echoer.com/">echoer.com</a>&nbsp;</div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-65336183142120825602012-07-07T05:44:00.000+04:002012-07-07T05:48:54.550+04:00Echoer, A New Social Network<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This blog is now being featured on&nbsp;<a href="http://echoer.com/">Echoer</a>&nbsp;.<br />This is the "next big thing" and is very popular in the Middle East and will soon take over a large part of the social networking world!<br /><br />Do a "Like" on their Facebook page and learn more.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/echoerapp">Be an Echoer</a><br /><br />I am doing well back in the US but as a 4 year resident of the UAE, I am still interested and feel qualified to comment on the expat life in the UAE. Sometimes I miss mytime there and there were some good things about it.<br /><br />Ramadan starts in the UAE in a few weeks and I wish all my Muslim friends Ramadan Mubarak.<br /><br />I will have to admit I will not miss sneaking cigarettes, lunch, water, and other delights behind curtains during daylight during this Holy Time. Ramadan was always inconvenient for us Westerners but we were always thankful we were afforded a "Plan B".<br /><br />Muslims fasted during the day but at night there was feasting and festivities. One of the most dangerous times to drive during Ramadan was near sunset when thousands of dehydrated and hungry Muslims were hauling ass home at sunset where food and drink awaited. One did not want to get in their way!</div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-67788098295715651192012-04-18T21:19:00.000+04:002012-04-18T21:19:08.263+04:00How Ironic...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I got this in an email the other day from ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center) for an upcoming event in the UAE capitol city.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Bp98uhbz70/T472G_lXSmI/AAAAAAAAGKU/TpxXNPtrRxA/s1600/ADNECratpackcomposite.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="397" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Bp98uhbz70/T472G_lXSmI/AAAAAAAAGKU/TpxXNPtrRxA/s400/ADNECratpackcomposite.GIF" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring the Kids!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;Geez, I guess I could have saved all the trouble and expense of <i>actually</i> moving to Las Vegas and experienced "Sin City" in my old stomping grounds of Abu Dhabi.....sans the scantily clad dancing girls, booze, gambling, colorful language and debauchery of the original Rat Pack of course. Frank, Dean and Sammy, we miss you!<br /><br />Its interesting that this show is featured as Las Vegas style entertainment doesn't seem congruous to the morality of this Islamic country and I'll wager the show is "Sanitized for Your Protection". However, the music from that era is good and if the performers can succeed in parroting the sound, banter and mannerisms of the original guys, it could be an entertaining night.<br /><br />What's next for ADNEC.......The "Ladyboys of Bangkok" revue"???<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-64583010345450785922012-04-16T08:52:00.002+04:002012-04-16T09:18:50.039+04:00Reflections of Re-Entry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">OK, I have bashed the UAE for some things such as internet censorship, Sharia Law, telecommunications monopoly, banking and labor abuses and being a "Plastic Banana" country. The place sucked me dry after awhile. Now it is time to reflect on my thoughts of my own country after being away for over 3 years.<br /><br />First of all, the US is very expensive. Food and ordinary items that used to cost 2X+ what I remember. What used to be an in and out at a grocery store for $50 now cost more than $100. Not only that, there are bills in my mailbox everyday from people and organizations that want money. Setting up a new household over here costs an exhorbitant amount of money considering deposits, leases, auto registration, utilities, taxes, etc. Everyone has their hands out and wherever I leak, someone has a bucket.<br /><br />Second, there are retail outlets everywhere for anything one could want or hope for, acres (or hectares) of strip malls that sell everything from hamburgers to massages to bankruptcy lawyers. It is quite overwhelming but convenient, maybe too convenient. After the financial bubble burst, there are a lot of broke folks here and the last thing they need are more temptations.<br /><br />Crime in the US is an assumed risk but I consider that as the price to pay for a free society. It was safe in the UAE but I am one of the last ones that seem to refuse to trade security for freedom.<br /><br />That being said, driving in the murderous motoring maelstrom on the UAE roads just might entail more risks than the US crime rate would.&nbsp; <br /><br />Although the US is not perfect, it is still home to me and theoretically I have a say in the operation of my governmental representatives. In Abu Dhabi, I was a guest that could thrown out on my head just for flipping the "bird" to someone. That type of&nbsp; stress in addition to the "saving face" culture where nobody can seem to lose wore me down to where everyday seemed an excercise in frustration. I can finally call someone an ASSHOLE and not be arrested for committing a crime against the State..<br /><br />Anyway, no place is perfect. I enjoyed living in Abu Dhabi for awhile but it was not "home".I knew I had to come back to America someday. I was only a guest that could be evicted at anytime for any reason.<br /><br />I am now settled in Las Vegas, Nevada, arguably one of the most exciting cities in the world and diametrically opposite of the faux venues in the UAE. Gambling, alcohol and debauchery are openly encouraged in "Sin City." and folks seem just as happy here as they are in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I guess that is because gambling, alcohol and prostitution are equally available in both places but those activities are not advertised as much in the UAE.. <br /><br />Even though I am living back in the US for now, I will continue this blog as people are curious and interested in working in the sandpit. I will continue to give advice to those wannabes. I have lived there and have lots of hints and advice.<br /><br />I am building a new blog, <a href="http://lasvegasdispatches.com/">lasvegasdispatches.com</a>. to chronicle the good and the bad of the world's "Sin City". It will be up and running in a couple of weeks.<br /><br />Thanks to the friends I met overseas. I appreciate you as the adventurers you all are. It takes big balls to do what we did and kudos to those who still live and thrive over in the Sandpit. I am glad I did it but I wouldn't do it again. Best Regards to my buddies and readers I left behind and I hope our paths will cross again. I will never forget you all!<br /><br />Seeya,<br />Ace<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-37183411857125227832012-03-25T10:11:00.000+04:002012-03-25T10:11:08.540+04:00More "Adios Abu Dhabi"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I had a comment on my last post that said I was being "negative and bitter". Ok, maybe I was kind of tough on the UAE, after all, I lived and worked there for 3 1/2 years. Everything I said has passed through most expatriot's mind at one time or another. Maybe I got carried away by my new found freedom of speech and like a degenerate wino, I drank deeply from that bottle.<br /><br />To be fair, the things I liked about the UAE are:<br /><br />It is a very safe place, I could walk anywhere, anytime without fear of personal harm<br /><br />Being of a Western persuasion, I received special service and attention, not that I consider that right but it just happened. I guess it was assumed I was of some importance.<br /><br />Good infrastructure, at least in the cities. Roads were the best anywhere on Earth. The drivers are another story.<br /><br />English spoken everywhere. After all it is the language of money and petroleum. No need to learn Arabic.<br /><br />The Winter weather! Perfect Miami Beach style climate.<br /><br />The things that bothered me about the UAE:<br /><br />To me everything seemed "plastic banana", AKA fake. For example, The roads into the city from the airport are lined by nice date palm trees and lavish landscaping that extended perhaps 20 meters off each side of the road and then the natural landscape of the ubiquitous ugly beige sand began. The greenery is a facade to fool arrivals that this is a verdant country<br /><br />Expatriot employee rights do not exist. Terms and conditions can be changed at any time. Unions are illegal and I won't even get into the Labor Camp abuse issues. Also, expatriots cannot ever become citizens and can be deported for the slightest of misdeeds.<br /><br />No freedom of speech. I personally know of a popular local publication that was almost shut down because one of the contributing writers mentioned the body of water between the UAE and Iran as the Persian Gulf rather than the officially mandated UAE version, the Arabian Gulf. The editor was directed to remove all previously distrtibuted copies of the magazine and was threatened with a shutdown by the UAE government.<br /><br />The Summer weather, 120F is excessive. Folks just stayed inside. The sky stayed a depressing light brown during June-Sept. Many people became alcoholics during this time. <br /><br />Owing money is a criminal offence. Many dusty cars in airport parking garages due to this. People are forced to leave the country rather than being given the opportunity to pay back debts from abroad.<br /><br />Sharia law insures expats will not get a fair shake in court.<br /><br />Also, do not fall for the trap that Dubai is. With all the glitz and glamor, you are in a still in a Middle Eastern country and you do not want to run afoul of "rules" you may not even be aware of.<br /><br />For example, prostitution&nbsp; is prohibited but rampant in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The government and police turn a blind eye, but if you do something else for which you get caught, you are in a lot of trouble as the Ho charge will be added.<br /><br />The UAE is trying and doing a good job for just being 35 years old, but the country is young and some things are going to be weird until lessons are learned. Again, there seems to be a huge inferiority complex and a real yearning to join/be considered a1st word country. The facades are in place but there is a long way to go before they are accepted as a leading global country and that bothers them.<br /><br />The UAE has oil and money but it takes more than that to be a world player, more than shiny buildings and palm trees next to the road. I see the yearning to be accepted as an influential world power but the execution is ersatz and weak. <br /><br />I am back in the US and there is a huge mess here as well but at least I can discuss it at will and theoretically my government says I have some self-determination....we shall see!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-52943674788380019512012-03-17T09:18:00.001+04:002012-03-17T21:21:47.873+04:00Adios, Abi Dhabi!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After I arrived at JFK and went through US Customs and Immigrations, I went outside the terminal into the unseasonably warm weather in New York. I was eager to to contact my family and friends but immedeately found out that my domestic mobile carrier (Verizon) had cancelled my account for some reason. My Visa card proved to be inactive too. <br /><br />So there I was without communications and USD$. I had a pocket full of UAE Dirhams and was lucky to find a booth to change them to the current coin of the realm. I was happy to finally be back in my home country but was unhappy that things had degraded to the point where the basic services one would expect were no longer available to me partly due to my absence from the domestic US mainstream banking and communication system for almost 3 1/2 years. <br /><br />That afternoon, despite my problems I felt a huge comfort to finally be back in the US. I was home for good. I got on the hotel phone and solved most of my recent problems with the credit cards and phone. The next day I flew down to the Southeast to see Family and Friends. I went from JFK to Birmingham, Alabama to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, then back to Birmingham, then to Las Vegas, Nevada, then to Phoenix, Arizona, then to Tucson, Arizona, back to Phoenix and then Las Vegas. I was fortunate to get a good job in the meantime. I now currently reside in a suburb of Las Vegas and am cool with that. <br /><br />My exit from Abu Dhabi was not so good. To start with, I had to give a 2 MONTH FUKKING NOTICE to my employer! I am sure that is designed to hobble any chance with a future employer. Then, I had a 32 point checklist to complete before I was cleared to leave the country. One of which was a letter from the bank stating I owed no money. If I did owe, I would not be allowed to leave the country and would end up in a shitty UAE jail just because I bought an X-Box on the credit card and was late on a payment. Don't do that, beware!!! That didn't happen to me but it could happen to anyone. Sharia Law rules over in the UAE and as an expatriate, you just ain't gonna win.<br /><br />I was given 30 days to get out of the country. The employer took my passport, health cards and ID days after my resignation so I was not free to go anywhere When you arrive in the UAE, they take care of everything, when you leave they are much less helpful. I spent the entire month of January trying to get the official stamps and clearances to get out of the country. The stress made me sick and I couldn't even keep a soda cracker down.<br /><br />I found out I would not get my passport returned until my day of departure, which I was concerned about. All went well at the airport and I relaxed as the aircraft's wheels left the ground.<br /><br />To those that fantasize about living in the Middle East, think again. My pay wasn't that good and you are owned by the employer without any rights whatsoever. Contracts are changed by employers at whim You get rear-ended at a traffic light by an Emirati and you will be charged for backing into him/her. <br /><br />I have more to say, and I will, but I cannot recommend living in the UAE unless you are part of an organization with a fat US government contract.<br /><br />The Arab, Pakistani and/or Indian way of doing business is disgusting. Telling the truth is looked upon as a sign of weakness. Shake hands and count your fingers!<br /><br />The traffic is deadly, customer service is non-existant, rude people are common and there are no street addresses. Hell, they won't even transport you in an ambulance if the paramedics think Allah has willed you to die.<br /><br />The internet is censored in the UAE, just like China and North Korea so it is refreshing to tell the truth from the USA without using a VPN or face prison time. I have an opinion that ANY country that restricts the internet has something to hide or doesn't trust its citizens with unfettered access to the rest of the world. The UAE is fucked up in that way. The media is similarly controlle.<br /><br />I discovered that the UAE ( especially Abu Dhabi &amp; Dubai) are constructs of a very insecure patriachal group of Sheikhs who are desperate to earn respect from the Western world. They are way behind and are trying to play "catch-up". They also play the "my dick is bigger than yours" game. Arab men seem very insecure. There is plenty of evidence of a national inferiority complex despite the vast wealth.<br /><br />Sure, the shiny facades, big buildings and the vulgar displays of wealth may impress the trailer trash, but the truth is that these folks are but 35 years from living in desert tents, washing their eating utensils in camel urine and wiping their asses with their left hand.&nbsp; Don't be fooled, if you scratch a little beneath the surface, the 15th century is still alive and well in the UAE!<br /><br />I saw many lives ruined over there, mine included, almost! <br /><br />If you can, stay in the US, EU or Australia. Those places are not perfect by any means but are far better than most of the rest of the world. <br /><br />Your freedom and life may depend on it. Life in the UAE was nice in a lot of ways, but one wrong move and you can be in a very bad situation. You can be imprisoned for merely flipping the bird or insulting someone.<br /><br />I am going to start a new blog about Las Vegas. This is my new home. It is an exciting city and there is a lot to talk about so stay tuned and I will provide a link in a few days. Life continues!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-4090371340522434732011-11-27T20:27:00.006+04:002011-11-28T18:26:24.081+04:00Shearing the Sheep<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For the last 3+ years I have lived in a relatively insulated area of the world and I have had the unique opportunity to see Western culture and specifically the USA from the outside. Most in America have never heard of Abu Dhabi and assume it is some place in Africa due to the exotic sounding name, they know of Dubai, though. The 2 cities are but 50 miles apart. The UAE is a benevolent monarchy which in the most part takes care of its residents and citizens. Things are not perfect here but this area seemed to largely escape the degree of economic carnage that befell the rest of the world.<br />&nbsp; <br />As you know I have recently decided to return to my homeland and I fear I will not be so happy about some things happening there. I consider the bank bailouts on the taxpayers' dime a travesty which will haunt middle class Americans for generations to come. Uncounted trillions of dollars literally evaporated overnight and it will take decades to recover.<br /><br />It has affected me personally as I own real estate and have investments that have losses in the tens of thousands of dollars in value. The economic crisis was a huge "pump and dump" by the international bankers. I am pissed off as I did not get a government bailout because I am not "too big to fail" so I have to just take it in the shorts, I guess.<br /><br />The international banks (Goldman Sachs, et al) made out like bandits with the cooperation of the US government and the Federal Reserve which is just another private bank. They all caused the problem which is reverberating worldwide, yet the whole situation remains opaque and the same players remain in power within the US government and Wall Street. They should be in prison as it seems the whole scheme was orchestrated years ago with the lobbying away of financial rules and safeguards that allowed certain toxic financial instruments to be created for the sole purpose of wealth transfer.<br /><br />When this house of cards collapsed, the players were inexplicably rewarded with an unprecedented bounty of public funds from the federal government instead of well deserved sanctions. Common sense would dictate letting these private banking organizations rot on the vine from their irresponsible actions, instead they were given a "mulligan" at taxpayers' expense. This suggests a much too cozy of a relationship between the robber-barons of Wall Street and the US government that has the responsibility of regulating them.<br /><br />Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and even France are facing financial meltdowns and the bankers are at the ready to step in and "help" these beleaguered economies by buying assets for pennies on the dollar. It seems to be all about the money. Trace the new leaders of Greece and Italy and you will find they have backgrounds with the same international banking organizations. As always, follow the money<br /><br />I am not a tin foil hat wearing guy but I can put 2+2 together. You do not have to agree with me but the puzzle pieces are self-evident. Everyone should be a critical thinker and question authority. <br /><br />Below are some thought provoking videos I found. The first 2 are from the prophetic movie <i>Network</i> (1976) and one from critical thinker, social analyst and part-time comedian, George Carlin.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/90ELleCQvew?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qVQsFuyn4SI?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/wV1lZMTCqf8?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br /><br />Now maybe the lord/serf relationship was the natural order of things at one time, world history has many examples of this, but I am uncomfortable with the status quo and would think humanity would have matured and grown away from this unequal and unfair arrangement. I am an individual with unalienable rights and freedoms but recent events undermine my confidence and respect for my elected officials who I trusted to protect my best interests.<br /><br />To me it seems my (and others') governing bodies dropped the ball and have allowed outside influences to steer public policy. The "get out of jail free" card was given to the international economic manipulators and many of these scoundrels hold high positions in the US government to this day. The Golden Rule is in effect, those that have the gold, rules.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5uVXMDTGlgA/TtMNztOBmOI/AAAAAAAAFao/j8xigX-ku58/s1600/get+out+of+jail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5uVXMDTGlgA/TtMNztOBmOI/AAAAAAAAFao/j8xigX-ku58/s1600/get+out+of+jail.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />What to do? There is no easy answer. The types of people that have a burning desire for elective government offices also have traits that tend toward weakness and selling-out their constituencies at the whiff of a greenback. Us regular folks are expected to look the other way and take the inevitable hit to the pocketbook or personal rights and freedoms.<br /><br />We have an uphill battle to equalize things against the elite power brokers but there are some bright spots. The internet is the big player here as it offers the exchange of information at the grass roots level and bypasses the mainstream media who is also influenced by money and power and do not want to upset the handlers. The internet offers an alternative to the communal Kool-Aide.<br /><br />Another victory was the exposure of "climate change" for the scam that it was. Most of the proponents were not actual scientists (Al Gore for one) but were knee-deep in the politics and finance of trying to scare the bejesus out of us regular people. As always, the endgame was more money and power for the elite. That was called Cap and Trade and Carbon Credits. Mr. Gore is actually a principle of the <a href="https://www.theice.com/ccx.jhtml">Chicago Climate Exchange</a><br />which is a clearinghouse and speculator of carbon credits when he is not trying to <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1291661/A-inconvenient-masseuse-How-saint-Al-Gore-sanctimonious-eco-crusader-lost-halo-wife.html">rape hotel maids.</a>&nbsp; I have a funny feeling his involvement in the CCE is not entirely altruistic and he stood a lot to gain by promoting his junk science.Thankfully, the Chicken Little "sky is falling" climate change horse is in its last twitches.<br /><br />Bottom line is that we have the ultimate advantage in numbers but we all should think critically, put the pieces of the puzzle together, connect the dots, hold our elected officials accountable, ask questions when things don't pass the "sniff test" and as always......follow the damn money!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-18327192432572436222011-11-22T10:18:00.000+04:002011-11-22T10:18:21.745+04:00I Am Outta Here<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;">I finally did it. I pulled the trigger and resigned my post last week. I will be leaving Abu Dhabi at the end of the year. I did not take the decision lightly. I have had a good run here and many adventures and good stories resulted. At this point I do not know where I will end up so it seems I am taking yet another jump into the abyss.As they say, "a rolling stone gathers no moss".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had to leave here sometime anyway, I am just a guest here so I thought now is a good time as any. I am not getting any younger and it seems US employers have a problem with considering citizens living overseas for job opportunities. I realize I have to be back on home soil to further my career.&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I will continue this blog no matter what because I like doing it. The name may change depending on where I end up. I have some things to reveal that I can't as long as I live here so stay tuned.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As always I appreciate my followers, I do it all for you. I consider it a privilege and honor that you spend some time out your day to read my scribblings. I promise to continue to be creative and entertaining for you. More stories to come!</div></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-86314230482053381012011-10-31T23:27:00.002+04:002011-11-19T22:51:29.514+04:00Damn Banks II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I received a comment on my last post from Anonymous who seems to be an insider at one time. It was very informative and brought up some good points that I had to answer. The comment was long and my responses were at least just as long so I decided to make a new post. Maybe we all can learn something and clear up some misunderstandings, if any.<br /><br />Anonymous is in yellow text, mine in white. <br /><br /><br />Anonymous said...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: yellow;">LOL! SOME of what you said is true, some are "spiced" if you will.</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: yellow;">BTW, that building that you said came from somewhere... It isnt OWNED by NBAD. That building is owned by a member of a royal family. 3 floors are rented by NBAD</span>.<br /><br />You maybe have me there! I looked for a stock photo of a big building with the NBAD logo on it for the first photo. Its kind of a blogging thing. Here is the real HQ, the NBAD tower.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0geXmBFBLMk/Tq7y6zLdsLI/AAAAAAAAFaU/kIroAQWQxPM/s1600/48560089.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0geXmBFBLMk/Tq7y6zLdsLI/AAAAAAAAFaU/kIroAQWQxPM/s400/48560089.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NBAD Tower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;"> There is no link with immigration, or with the traffic dept. If you want I will tell you the exact process (I had sadly asked that many ppl be bared from flying myself)</span><br /><br />When a person properly quits their job, they have to surrender their passport to their employer/sponsor and will only get it back (on the day of travel) after all paperwork, including clearance letters from the banks et al, are submitted. If an expat cannot provide these, they do not get their passport back until all debts are paid. They can't leave as they have they have no passport, job or home at this point. I have heard jail is a desperate option.<br /><br />What this does is creates the runner/absconder phenominon. Things go bad here with some folks for various reasons and they are deep enough in debt they cannot come up with the cash to settle local debts. So instead of having the option of leaving and paying the debt from abroad, they get desperate and just escape. I see enough dusty cars with flat tires in airport parking lots to know this is quite common. I think most people want to pay their debts but these rules force some into a corner. Seems the banks stand to lose more the way things are than trying to work with their customers before it becomes a legal problem.<br /><br />Curiously, as I said in a&nbsp;<a href="http://expatuae.blogspot.com/2011/10/automotive-orphans.html">previous post</a> the banks seem uninterested in retrieving these automotive orphans to mitigate losses.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QNj96ho-EO8/Tq7zdz8_trI/AAAAAAAAFac/7o3QcFPc8vw/s1600/paris+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QNj96ho-EO8/Tq7zdz8_trI/AAAAAAAAFac/7o3QcFPc8vw/s400/paris+021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banks Seem Unconcerned About Recovering These Assets, They Are Everywhere</td></tr></tbody></table><br />&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp; Also, there are reasons why banks here cant allow people to pay for debt from abroad. Mainly because you cant enforce it in any way. If a bank scares you into thinking that it can "get" you when ur back home, they are usually mistaken. Few are the countries in which a bank here can get a bad debt holder to pay. Truth.</span><br /><br />I think that is changing. I recently got a small personal loan and was asked for family addresses back in the US and my Social Security Number so I could be easily located.Debt collector firms wordwide purchase bad debts from banks all the time and take on the risk of recovering the debt. VISA and Mastercard are also global companies with aggressive collection methods and could damage my credit rating back in the US.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;"> There are however non official ways to continue to pay for asset backed loans (Like a car or house) but we wont get into those. I will say that I had set a few such schemes up for customers and they did not cause me any issues till the day I left. But not all customers are like that. With 20% of the country being labor, and another 30% being low level employees (with low incomes) you simply cant take chances with everyone. It it really is a chance.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The banking system here is based on caution. In the UAE it's the exact opposite. Yes, a healthy way to be would to have a nice balance, but you have to understand the contact, this region is not a stable one. the UAE may be stable, but it's surrounded by shit and bad stuff.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Also, with 90% of the country's population foreigners, the control you have over securing your loan is close to nil. Truth is if you take out 500K worth of loans and leave within a week, the bank will have no warning and little recourse.</span><br /><br />I think any of the banks here would go after someone owing that amount of money. They would be crazy not to.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;"> As for banks not being all they can be to consumers, it depends both on the bank and the consumer.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you have a salary of 55K, a 1.6 million mortgage, a car loan, a personal loan, and credit cards, the banks are the best you'll ever deal with.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you make 55K and send 45 back home on the same day, most banks wont care about you.</span><br /><br />I truly understand about the demographics here and the difficulties they bring. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;"> Also, not all banks here have the same focus. NBAD has, and is, and probably always will be a corporate bank. Its main job (originally, and still) is to be the banker of the Govt of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as well as govt owned companies, semi govt companies, and large corporations.</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: yellow;">Do they have consumer banking solutions? yes. Are they good? Maybe. Are they the best? No.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For a consumer, a more consumer focused bank like RAK bank might be a better option. RAK Bank is one of the few UAE banks that does NOT have a corporate banking section. Only consumer (you) and SME (Your small business)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As for consumer rates (You mention a credit card at 35%) yes, it is highway robbery. But things are getting better. A few months back the central bank limited what a bank can offer and charge in terms of base banking and lending. CC were not included. Maybe in the revision next year. (Last year a certificate of liability costed 400, today its no more than 100 by law)</span><br /><br />I have VISA and MC CC's with US banks that charge 10-12%. I agree 35% is very excessive for the same here. I took that aformentioned small personal loan (unsecured) for a very reasonable single digit rate. The credit cards are a cash cow and are aggressively marketed by commissioned salespeople. The rules seem lax and a lot of naive newcomers succomb the the lure of easy and high credit limits.<br /><br />&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp;&nbsp; The lack of a central lending database = ppl can get into debt easily and with multiple banks without the banks knowing. But this isnt the banks fault. The lack of the data base is the system's fault, but no one forces all these morons to sign those loan agreements.</span><br /><br />&nbsp;You are right on this. Theoretically, a person can get multiple credit accounts from several institutions without being qualified for the aggregate of the limits. This would not happen in countries with an independent credit bureau because that person could be tracke and info shared between financial institutions. In the US, every citizen has a credit score which sets limits on the amount that can be borrowed.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color: yellow;">&nbsp; It simply isnt anyone else's fault if you cant manage your finances.</span><br /><br />I agree with you on that, but it seems a lot of people get into trouble in the UAE and that trouble can cause very serious legal consequences. In my opinion, the banks are like drug pushers making easy credit available to most. Hell, I bought a 99,000AED car on 100% credit after just 90 days on the job. Was that dumb...yes! Would I do it again...no! That car is sold now and I currently free of debt, at least in the UAE. I know many that are way over their heads in credit balances and will have to be in the UAE many more years than they want.<br /><br />But ultimately it was my decision as I rose to the bait and took the hook.The banks are enablers but it is ultimately the individual that is responsible to refuse the offer. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: yellow;">But yeah, you added alot of "baharat" (Spices) to the story Ace.</span><br /><br />I didn't intend on singling out NBAD. They have treated me quite well except for the online banking troubles. My post tended to drift toward the overall financial system in the UAE as seen by a retail customer.<br /><br />You are/were obviously a bank employee. I appreciate the insight and if there is something I failed to understand, let me know and maybe I won't sprinkle as much "baharat" on my future posts about the rules here.<br /><br /><br /><div style="color: red;">UPDATE:</div><div style="color: white;">I just received an email today, 19 November, from the bank addressing my initial question I asked on 29 October, see below.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: white;">Email from Ace to the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, 29 October:</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: blue;">I am now blocked from my online account. I need this fixed as I have bills to pay. Your phone message says 24/7 service for the online accounts and I was informed I could not be helped after 11:00 PM as the technical service was closed.<br /><br />Ever since the website has changed, there have been problems.<br /><br />Ace </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: white;">The "prompt" reply 3 weeks later, 19 November: </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Dear Ace,</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Thank you for your recent email.</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">You are kindly requested to reply the following to help us process this faster:</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">1. NBAD Account number: </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">2. PO Box number: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">3. Branch you received the password from: </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">4. Mobile/Telephone number: </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">5. NbadOnline User ID:&nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">6. time to be contacted :&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">For any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again on toll free 800 XXXX&nbsp; from outside UAE) between 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM on all UAE working days (from Saturday to Thursday) or send us a reply email.</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Thank you for using nbadOnline.</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Regards,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<wbr></wbr>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Back Office Person</span></b></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Internet Banking Unit </span></div><div style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">National Bank of Abu Dhabi</span></div><div style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: white;">I had better luck with the telephone help-line and the problem was solved 2 1/2 weeks ago through them.&nbsp; Apparently the email guys are not only unaware that the problem was fixed a long time ago by a 1 1/2 hour call to the help-line, they are just getting around to looking at the problem 3 weeks after my initial email complaint. U<span style="color: white;">nbelievable!!!!</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">I expect things to work once they are set up. Here&nbsp; internet , banking , electricity and cable TV services are very fragile and I have experienced many unexpected shutdowns. I cringe when I have to enter the labyrinth of what is called "customer service" in Abu Dhabi. It has always meant a time consuming and frustrating experience trying to correct a situation that was not of my making.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: black;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: black;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: black; color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: red;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-30227596780351952592011-10-30T16:30:00.001+04:002011-10-30T16:41:24.471+04:00Damn Banks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have become huge world financial centers in the past 40 years. With the oil export and tourism income there is plenty of cash flow that attracts international banks as well as made home grown institutions very wealthy. For the most part these banks are some of the safest and most innovative in the world. One can even instantly pay a parking meter or almost any bill from a cell phone text message.<br /><br />However, the banking business must be the lowest risk enterprise in the UAE. I am sure they take care of each other and big corporate clients in the "Good Old Boy " club but the ordinary retail guys seem to get it in the neck. 35 % interest on credit cards and an unholy alliance with immigrations assures a healthy profit and jail time for anyone attempting to leave the country with debt.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgKKFP_84-8/Tq08deMJNLI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/VUna2aEajnU/s1600/Full+Metal+Jacket+c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgKKFP_84-8/Tq08deMJNLI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/VUna2aEajnU/s400/Full+Metal+Jacket+c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You will take it and like it! (Apologies to Gunny Ermey!)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Many innocents are lured with fast and easy credit when first arriving here and get into a big bind. It is tempting with the apparent affluent lifestyle of fancy cars and designer shops.&nbsp; People should pay their debts but should be able to do so from another country if they choose. That option is not available here.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hwfnrn_7kJI/Tq06rkP50rI/AAAAAAAAFZ0/-V4vTu8DjvU/s1600/1146042-work-NBAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hwfnrn_7kJI/Tq06rkP50rI/AAAAAAAAFZ0/-V4vTu8DjvU/s400/1146042-work-NBAD.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But Solar Powered ATMs Are</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I recently had problems with my bank, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD). This firm sent out a notice a few months ago that they were upgrading their website and I would have to make some adjustments such as losing my templates I used to transfer money and pay bills. From my past experiences with the national telephone, internet and cable TV companies, I had a strong feeling this website upgrade was not going to end well. It didn't.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TQwkkN8eC0o/Tq06eU2HW3I/AAAAAAAAFZk/6EvYVpFcglI/s1600/NBAD-Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TQwkkN8eC0o/Tq06eU2HW3I/AAAAAAAAFZk/6EvYVpFcglI/s320/NBAD-Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We Like You!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Two days after the "upgrade" I tried to log on and got errors and denied access. I called the help desk and was assured the problem would be handled and I would be called back with the magic solution. No call back for 2 days. I called again and my password was reset....failure again. I made my 3rd call and was told I can't be helped because the technical center was now closed despite the on-hold recording proudly announcing online help was available 24/7. The same recording told me to press 4 for online support and after suffering through more minutes of raucous advertisements it told me to press 6 for the special online help desk. So I did.<br /><br />Mind you, I have a lot of bills to pay back in the US and I have to refill that bucket every month ontime or suffer some very expensive consequences. That urgency was lost on my bank. I finally got the site working after another lengthy phone call only to find it takes many more levels of security, passwords, questions, token codes and I had to redo all my payment templates. Very clunky and not an improvement. I do not mind security, but this could have been made sleeker and more user friendly. I suspect I will cringe everytime I have to do online banking again. I just expect something else to go wrong.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zxZ_LiiyplA/Tq06mS6D2UI/AAAAAAAAFZs/2ET0qn3bA8U/s1600/National%252BBank%252Bof%252BAbu%252BDhabi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zxZ_LiiyplA/Tq06mS6D2UI/AAAAAAAAFZs/2ET0qn3bA8U/s400/National%252BBank%252Bof%252BAbu%252BDhabi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Big Building Didn't Just Spring Out Of The Ground By Itself</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Overall, NBAD is not a bad bank but they screwed this up. Remember, the rules are different here and things are definitely tilted in the banks' favor. You will not win, ever. The vast majority of my friends and co-workers have horror stories about their dealings with UAE banks.<br /><br />My recommendations:<br /><br />DO NOT get a local credit card, even if it says Visa or Mastercard on it, the rules are different. Read the fine print. Keep cards and debt in your home country.<br /><br />DO NOT buy a new car. Get a good used one, they are cheap and plentiful.<br /><br />DO NOT go into any kind of debt here. The banks are ruthless and if things go tits-up for you, you could get prison time. Its the law. You will severely limit your "options".<br /><br />DO NOT&nbsp; keep more in your local UAE account than you need to live on month to month. Send the excess back home. The banks will take what is in your account on the slightest pretense such as a traffic violation. Geez, they even want ~$40USD to give you a clearance letter saying you do not owe them any money.<br /><br />I am not picking on the UAE banks specifically, they just have their own rules that are bad for us consumers. The banking industry in the USA has caused far more damage to the global economy and hurt more people than a UAE bank could ever do. Shame on them and their greedy ways. They screwed up a good thing, may they rot in hell!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-soHD6SxKu4U/Tq0-fmxU7rI/AAAAAAAAFaM/8gKU5CXxnWo/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-soHD6SxKu4U/Tq0-fmxU7rI/AAAAAAAAFaM/8gKU5CXxnWo/s400/images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LC0h6pIkNf0/Tq0-WRVP1XI/AAAAAAAAFaE/TYJ8YPmDzqs/s1600/071709_Goldman_Sachs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LC0h6pIkNf0/Tq0-WRVP1XI/AAAAAAAAFaE/TYJ8YPmDzqs/s400/071709_Goldman_Sachs.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-85686795073078821252011-10-21T15:13:00.000+04:002011-10-21T15:13:10.115+04:00Automotive Orphans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Firstly, let me explain my lack of posts in the last few months. I have been on kind of a "Blogcation". There are several reasons for this. The summer is brutal here and staying indoors is a survival tactic. Since I am not a mall rat or movie theater kind of guy (I prefer watching movies in the comfort of my own home where cold beer, cheap popcorn are at hand and the loo is but a few steps away), that means long, tedious and boring days off at home.<br /><br />Much like folks that live in Northern climes during winter, one develops "cabin fever". This phenomenon dulls the senses, encourages laziness and crushes creativity and motivation. Since I no longer own a car, journeys outside are not as spontaneous as they used to be and I have been doing fewer interesting things to write about.<br /><br />Now, the weather is moderating and I am coming out of my summer hibernation. I can leave the windows open now and&nbsp; feel the cool breeze. I feel my energy coming back and the creative juices are flowing again like sap in a tree at springtime.&nbsp; So look for more activity from me in the next few months. I have a lot of catching up to do.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iB8PNM59Ksc/TqFHqIIasnI/AAAAAAAAFVI/eAjrJh62ML0/s1600/tumblr_lsvfxtZV0a1qe4nc9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iB8PNM59Ksc/TqFHqIIasnI/AAAAAAAAFVI/eAjrJh62ML0/s400/tumblr_lsvfxtZV0a1qe4nc9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cats are cool, this one is confident and fearless 18 stories up balancing on a thin rail. It just doesn't give a crap! I wish I had the powers that cats have. I love this photo!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Now to the topic. In Abu Dhabi and the U.A.E. as a whole, there are thousands of abandoned cars. You see them everywhere from airports to residential parking garages to streetside downtown. They are instantly recognizable due to the heavy coat of dust they sport. Most have messages scrawled on the dusty windows such as "please wash me" or "runner" (more on this later).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WGkiqqPsHfQ/TqFIvPJRM0I/AAAAAAAAFVQ/lr3FLyzq5cg/s1600/paris+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WGkiqqPsHfQ/TqFIvPJRM0I/AAAAAAAAFVQ/lr3FLyzq5cg/s400/paris+017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--p1I2rS5Hds/TqFJrrpJzmI/AAAAAAAAFVg/2Co_S7kV_BQ/s1600/paris+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--p1I2rS5Hds/TqFJrrpJzmI/AAAAAAAAFVg/2Co_S7kV_BQ/s400/paris+022.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Wish my girl was as dirty". Hint for the Ladies! Spice up your life!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />These are not old rustbuckets that were destined for the junkyard either. Most are late-model Porsches, Mercedes, Audis, Jaguars, BMWs and other desirable makes. In the parking lot of the place I live, I have seen the same abandoned cars sit for over two years. The management here even has them washed once in awhile so they wouldn't be such eyesores. I find that hilarious! Don't fix the problem, just make it look better. Kind of symbolic of the way things are generally handled here.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ykZYbbxN1Ik/TqFKKhXdjbI/AAAAAAAAFVw/n7dD2ol8awI/s1600/paris+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ykZYbbxN1Ik/TqFKKhXdjbI/AAAAAAAAFVw/n7dD2ol8awI/s400/paris+020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Audi TT has been here for 2 years! It is washed occasionally by management.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zueykFEhef0/TqFMZ56uC9I/AAAAAAAAFV4/JeXqWQ6j7UI/s1600/paris+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zueykFEhef0/TqFMZ56uC9I/AAAAAAAAFV4/JeXqWQ6j7UI/s400/paris+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recently Getting Police Attention</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Tires go flat, batteries die, paint dulls and the interior appointments dry and crack from the sun and heat. Why are these fine automobiles left to rot in the extreme elements here?&nbsp; The simple answer is that the laws in the U.A.E. are to blame. You see, it is illegal to leave the country for good if you owe money.<br /><br />If you do the right thing and inform your employer of your intention to resign or are fired, the employer informs the bank and the bank informs immigrations if you have a credit balance. In most countries, you are allowed to pay back debts from abroad. Here, you will be detained, arrested and checked into the "Gray Bar Hotel" as you attempt to leave the U.A.E. owing money.&nbsp; Everyone must have a bank clearance letter to emigrate.<br /><br />This harsh treatment and wicked alliance between the government and the banks forces some expats facing a dire situation (you cannot stay here without a job) to just leave without notice and abandon everything behind to escape prison time. These desperados are known as "runners" and the dusty cars littering the parking lots around the U.A.E. are their legacy. This is one of the reasons I sold my car and have resisted the temptation of going into debt with a local institution.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_WR_yuLKM0/TqFNZIBV4pI/AAAAAAAAFWA/CfSvkPmeWUU/s1600/paris+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_WR_yuLKM0/TqFNZIBV4pI/AAAAAAAAFWA/CfSvkPmeWUU/s400/paris+024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Nice Volvo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DhJuhGLd8_M/TqFNoC6RBwI/AAAAAAAAFWI/jvznWd9rUMM/s1600/paris+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DhJuhGLd8_M/TqFNoC6RBwI/AAAAAAAAFWI/jvznWd9rUMM/s400/paris+027.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned BMW</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br />The vast majority of these cars are owned by the banks through loans to individuals yet they sit for years in the same place where they were abandoned. While the banks are aggressive about punishing individuals that owe them money, they are curiously passive about recovering these cars so they can resell them and cover some of their losses. Its like they don't give a damn, just another cost of doing business. Such a waste seeing these fine cars rotting away. Where I come from, the banks hire "repo men" to recover automotive assets within a few months. Here it seems more important to send someone to jail than to mitigate losses by actively recovering these cars. Just another example of how I have trouble understanding how things work over here.<br /><br />I never have and I never will!<span id="goog_1707516455"></span><span id="goog_1707516456"></span>&nbsp;<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCoKThTspSU/TqFQyo_PO6I/AAAAAAAAFWY/58AiCvryDUU/s1600/paris+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YCoKThTspSU/TqFQyo_PO6I/AAAAAAAAFWY/58AiCvryDUU/s400/paris+026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VW Scirocco ,&nbsp; not abandoned but I want one!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-2718780450634139242011-07-25T13:16:00.001+04:002011-07-25T20:26:22.305+04:00The End of an Era?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>At the end my last post, I wrote briefly about some signs I noticed that seem to signal the general decline in the American spirit. The economy is in the crapper, unemployment is high, many people have lost their life savings and the government is more unresponsive and corrupt than I have ever seen. I saw first-hand on my trip last month how these things have a negative effect on the individual citizen's and the national collective psyche. The whole country is in a blue funk.<br /><br />An event happened last week that twisted the knife of despair a bit more; the last US manned space flight mission ended as the Space Shuttle touched down at Kennedy Space Center. It was a good 50 year run that I personally thought would never end.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWTJuyxiQoI/Ti0iIlK28-I/AAAAAAAAFLI/GQ4FzR8bKdo/s1600/nasa+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWTJuyxiQoI/Ti0iIlK28-I/AAAAAAAAFLI/GQ4FzR8bKdo/s400/nasa+20.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Space Shuttle Landing at Cape Canaveral</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I have enough years under my belt to remember most of the manned space program, it was always an interest of mine and I assumed it would always be around to innovate, explore and inspire. Mercury, Gemini and Apollo......those names were known by all and generated excitement all over the world. Obviously, the lunar landings were the pinnacle of the manned missions.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2lMJuoeRzmI/Ti0eLJ--NVI/AAAAAAAAFKY/e4S9WxNLuC0/s1600/nasa5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2lMJuoeRzmI/Ti0eLJ--NVI/AAAAAAAAFKY/e4S9WxNLuC0/s400/nasa5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schematic of Mercury Spacecraft</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nerwNHm5coU/Ti0d3xo_WII/AAAAAAAAFKM/6xgQ97w5O-0/s1600/nasa4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nerwNHm5coU/Ti0d3xo_WII/AAAAAAAAFKM/6xgQ97w5O-0/s400/nasa4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Mercury Astronauts</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YmUBXySQEmo/Ti0ePCU499I/AAAAAAAAFKc/v609q1C0LoY/s1600/nasa6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YmUBXySQEmo/Ti0ePCU499I/AAAAAAAAFKc/v609q1C0LoY/s400/nasa6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gemini Space Capsule</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3OWE1tekLKc/Ti0eZc7yPII/AAAAAAAAFKk/HOzLGEA4njs/s1600/nasa11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3OWE1tekLKc/Ti0eZc7yPII/AAAAAAAAFKk/HOzLGEA4njs/s400/nasa11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apollo Schematic</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8NNd_6qz9Q/Ti0eVC1Ra7I/AAAAAAAAFKg/2NbDQKmvY2s/s1600/nasa8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8NNd_6qz9Q/Ti0eVC1Ra7I/AAAAAAAAFKg/2NbDQKmvY2s/s400/nasa8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunar Excursion Module. Your mobile phone has more computing power than this thing did! Yet they pulled it off!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AWxPqTetMxM/Ti0d9ipeGII/AAAAAAAAFKQ/NUl-UHPNTco/s1600/nasa7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AWxPqTetMxM/Ti0d9ipeGII/AAAAAAAAFKQ/NUl-UHPNTco/s400/nasa7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Eagle has Landed</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YfB3r8mxgbk/Ti0ekXFOHqI/AAAAAAAAFKo/2UhEqCdaUeA/s1600/nasa9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YfB3r8mxgbk/Ti0ekXFOHqI/AAAAAAAAFKo/2UhEqCdaUeA/s400/nasa9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us Americans just HAD to get a car up there</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />The moon shots would prove hard acts to follow. The Space Shuttle was already on the drawing board during the Apollo program. It was conceived as a vehicle to usher in the next phase of space exploration, sustainability.. The design was to contain many reusable parts. Compared to the sleek Saturn V rockets of the Apollo program, the Shuttle was chunky and utilitarian as befitted its mission of hauling stuff into low Earth orbit.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5mvSM8HtY2I/Ti0dztKReOI/AAAAAAAAFKI/0rT8Nz7nnvI/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5mvSM8HtY2I/Ti0dztKReOI/AAAAAAAAFKI/0rT8Nz7nnvI/s400/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Space Shuttle failed to captivate the imagination of the public.The mission was boring but ended up productive.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhSwIjn-mOQ/Ti0eEUIKzPI/AAAAAAAAFKU/WkSOiOy_DLY/s1600/nasa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EhSwIjn-mOQ/Ti0eEUIKzPI/AAAAAAAAFKU/WkSOiOy_DLY/s400/nasa2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturn V used in the Apollo Program</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EP3b73uS-f8/Ti0e_oS17CI/AAAAAAAAFKw/cEwNCaA9oL4/s1600/nasa3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EP3b73uS-f8/Ti0e_oS17CI/AAAAAAAAFKw/cEwNCaA9oL4/s400/nasa3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturn V Liftoff, Loud and Sexy!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Predictably, as the excitement and danger of the previous far reaching missions gave way to a "space truck" taking lab rats into low orbit, public interest waned even though a lot of valuable research was done that resulted in many things we take for granted today. The Shuttle program, although productive, just wasn't sexy.<br /><br />The Space Shuttle needed to be retired. It was old technology even when it was new and proved to be way more troublesome and expensive than imagined. It never achieved the goal of almost monthly launches as envisioned by its architects.We lost two of them, Challenger and Discovery.. Challenger from brittle O rings and Discovery from some bad ceramic heat tiles. Time to put the old girl back in the barn.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MCV7n2hUgH0/Ti0xCy0YUbI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/hDYWkSYJVuU/s1600/nasa23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="359" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MCV7n2hUgH0/Ti0xCy0YUbI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/hDYWkSYJVuU/s400/nasa23.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Challenger Explosion</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />What upsets me is that there is no replacement on the horizon. For the first time in 50 years, the US is incapable of sending a human into space. Now we have to hitch a very expensive ride on Russia's Soyuz capsule that was designed in the 1960's. The Soyuz is currently the only game in town.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rPiL9tyTqUo/Ti0gX3RsqfI/AAAAAAAAFK4/toP-uDw2Iqo/s1600/soyuz5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rPiL9tyTqUo/Ti0gX3RsqfI/AAAAAAAAFK4/toP-uDw2Iqo/s400/soyuz5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian Soyuz in Orbit</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KgPHRaZtF_I/Ti0gs7SvT1I/AAAAAAAAFLA/t7JfwRqg14M/s1600/soyuz2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KgPHRaZtF_I/Ti0gs7SvT1I/AAAAAAAAFLA/t7JfwRqg14M/s400/soyuz2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soyuz Schematic</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ_x9KFlgVw/Ti0g1pScgFI/AAAAAAAAFLE/yeFoECrU3k0/s1600/soyuz11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ_x9KFlgVw/Ti0g1pScgFI/AAAAAAAAFLE/yeFoECrU3k0/s400/soyuz11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Not so Subtle Soyuz Landing in Kazakhstan, Hey, But It Works!!!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhVsOiae5Ok/Ti0gnLy8_0I/AAAAAAAAFK8/iSbKjeHt1tg/s1600/soyuz1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhVsOiae5Ok/Ti0gnLy8_0I/AAAAAAAAFK8/iSbKjeHt1tg/s400/soyuz1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soyuz Post Landing. Vodka consumption&nbsp; is part of the re-entry checklist.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If they pull the plug on that relic, I hope the last astronaut leaving the multi-billion dollar International Space Station remembers to turn the lights off as it will be awhile before anyone steps foot aboard again.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1hNCC4kx5qo/Ti0syRdFaII/AAAAAAAAFLM/sPy3I2IHFcE/s1600/nasa22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1hNCC4kx5qo/Ti0syRdFaII/AAAAAAAAFLM/sPy3I2IHFcE/s400/nasa22.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">International Space Station, hide the keys under the doormat when you leave..</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The rocket scientists at NASA knew the Shuttle retirement was coming at least 15 years ago and just sat on their hands. Oh, they did waste $9 billion trying to develop potential replacements such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation_program">Constellation and other programs</a> but when things got too difficult for them, progress was not made and the money dried up, they just said "screw it" and went back to whatever rocket scientists do when they are not making rockets. There was much motion but little progress.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Szr51AZgjRo/Ti0dsweaOcI/AAAAAAAAFKE/YGE0YcRE--w/s1600/nasa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Szr51AZgjRo/Ti0dsweaOcI/AAAAAAAAFKE/YGE0YcRE--w/s400/nasa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once an Icon,&nbsp; but has recently lost their way.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />NASA has become as bloated and inefficient as the US government so I am not surprised talent and innovation do not thrive there anymore. Too bad, that wasn't the case at one time. It looks like as the NASAsaur fades into irrelevance, we have to look toward the movers and shakers in the private sector to pick up the baton to keep manned space flight alive, Profit is a strong motivator and if there is money in it for these entrepreneurs, they will make it happen. There are already some&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceShipOne">bright spots</a> on the horizon.<br /><br />Well, to make a long story short (I know, too late), America's abandonment of its manned space flight program is just another symptom of a general malaise that is lingering in the country.&nbsp; For 50 years these programs were a source of pride, inspiration, and a large part of America's identity.. The manned space programs motivated people from all over the world to look up to the night sky and maybe forget for a time the dreary details of daily life. We dropped the ball.<br /><br />It doesn't bother me so much that the Space Shuttle program is no more, its that there were no replacement vehicles seriously considered.&nbsp; This indicates an abandonment of the pioneer and "can do" attitudes of the past that the US and Americans are known for. Lately it has seemed we are just consumers of Chinese imports, producers of dodgy financial instruments, whiny wards of the State, world policemen and contemplators of our own belly button lint. Not a good path to follow. Remember what happened to Rome when Emperor Nero was plucking his fiddle <br /><br />&nbsp;In general, the US has been declining in spirit and purpose for awhile now. Maybe it is the inevitable maturing of a society. We have seen this before with other countries and empires in the past. America's heyday of the 1800s -1900s are over and maybe it is time to take a breather and hopefully we will rediscover the values and drive that made the US and Americans a unique country and culture. I am intolerant of mediocrity and hope that I can see a positive change in my country soon. There is still so much potential there.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-78724919939250009592011-07-17T12:39:00.000+04:002011-07-17T12:39:06.283+04:00Annual Leave 2011 EpilogueSo I was in Florida and enjoyed visiting my mother and some old high school friends that still live in the area. The weather was on-and-off with a mix of rain and sunshine,It was good smelling the the fresh Gulf of Mexico air and not having to deal with the desert dust. I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time and the days flew by all too quickly. On my final day, I was having some beers with friends and it became time for me to leave for my 9PM flight to Las Vegas. I drove home and packed my things and headed for the airport. I checked in at 7:55PM, checked the rental car in and headed toward the security gauntlet.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rtYtT3rbFL8/TiJ4heRqe2I/AAAAAAAAFJI/IvxTAgd-ryE/s1600/annual+leave1+221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rtYtT3rbFL8/TiJ4heRqe2I/AAAAAAAAFJI/IvxTAgd-ryE/s400/annual+leave1+221.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gulf of Mexico</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FHf05V2BWtM/TiJ4ankXbJI/AAAAAAAAFJE/ndSZiRs8kn0/s1600/annual+leave1+214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FHf05V2BWtM/TiJ4ankXbJI/AAAAAAAAFJE/ndSZiRs8kn0/s400/annual+leave1+214.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best Beaches in Florida if not the World</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />This is where my nightmare started. I went through the x ray and metal detectors but at the end of the line I was confronted by a TSA agent holding a factory sealed package I had bought at a pharmacy earlier. He said there were unknown liquids in there and he would not let me go without a further screening. I was unaware of the liquids and asked what I could do to mitigate the problem. He said he had to throw away the item. I said that since I had spent $40USD for it that I wasn't too keen on that idea. A discussion ensued and the agent's supervisor had to become involved. We all finally came to an agreement that I had to put the liquids into a clear baggie and I was finally free to go. As I walked from the security area, another TSA agent gleefully announced to me that my flight had already left. Bitch!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OoG9PKlS2wo/TiJ5WX8lbZI/AAAAAAAAFJg/umw7fa_YIGU/s1600/TSA.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OoG9PKlS2wo/TiJ5WX8lbZI/AAAAAAAAFJg/umw7fa_YIGU/s320/TSA.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Security Theater</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />That left me in a pickle as there was not a flight until the next night which would necessitate razor sharp planning to get to Chicago for my Abu Dhabi flight the next day and I was still stuck in Florida. There are a few things wrong with this. First, I checked in on time with Vision Airlines (who by the way lost my bags on the inbound trip), second, TSA delayed me way too long in the security line. It was a small airport and I was the only passenger in the queue. Thirdly, when a passenger checks in and is known to be delayed in security, the flight is held, this did not happen. I have been in the airline business for over 12 years...I know.. 5 minutes earlier and I would have made the flight. They pushed away from the gate anyway.<br /><br /><br />The 9/11 guys ended up winning anyway because every US citizen is treated as a felon when attempting to board a flight as a result. Now there are backscatter units that see through clothes and exposes the victim to radiation that would rival Hiroshima doses.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-77J5AwQyRzc/TiJ5eNgbJjI/AAAAAAAAFJk/NCleEUw_jb8/s1600/tsa_body_scanII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-77J5AwQyRzc/TiJ5eNgbJjI/AAAAAAAAFJk/NCleEUw_jb8/s400/tsa_body_scanII.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Land of the Free?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>.The particular airport I departed Florida from recently had some bad publicity by making a 95 year old woman in a wheelchair take off her adult diapers before she could board her flight. I am all for security and stuff but it has gone too far. If any passenger starts acting hinckey during a flight, they will get their ass whipped by the other passengers. If that fails, there are firearms onboard carried by certain authorized personnel. No one is going to get away with another 9/11 stunt again.<br /><br />So the next night I boarded my redeye to Las Vegas. All liquids were bagged per orders so I got on the flight. I landed in Vegas around 2 AM and proceeded to drive the 2 1/2 hours through an inky black desert night to St. George where I had to leave for Chicago via Salt Lake City to catch my flight to Abu Dhabi.<br /><br />I got to St. George just in time to collect some of my stuff I left there and get to the airport. I was already tired from the transcon flight to Vegas and the drive so I slept on the way to Salt Lake City. St. George has a brand spanking new airport.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4u8ChvQW8gU/TiKVFErCRRI/AAAAAAAAFJs/_-G3oWjfBbM/s1600/annual+leave1+125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4u8ChvQW8gU/TiKVFErCRRI/AAAAAAAAFJs/_-G3oWjfBbM/s400/annual+leave1+125.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KDXZ</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D2Vr-pMtLqw/TiKVcOXEA2I/AAAAAAAAFJw/3GdABdktyZk/s1600/annual+leave1+126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D2Vr-pMtLqw/TiKVcOXEA2I/AAAAAAAAFJw/3GdABdktyZk/s400/annual+leave1+126.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US, Utah and St. George flags</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I had a 4 hour layover there before my sector to Chicago so I got a few beers. Salt Lake City is a very passenger friendly airport. Time to go to Chicago and I slept most of the way after this sumptuous breakfast.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvhmkrPYgnA/TiKU2U1LyPI/AAAAAAAAFJo/NV91TkP-soU/s1600/annual+leave1+124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvhmkrPYgnA/TiKU2U1LyPI/AAAAAAAAFJo/NV91TkP-soU/s400/annual+leave1+124.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MMMM...Three or Four Peanuts and a Can of Beer!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;Another grueling 4 hour wait for my 14 hour flight to Abu Dhabi but the Chicago terminal was nice. I fed and watered for the long time enroute and was happy to get a business class seat. The flight went quite quick and I was lucky to meet one of my bosses in duty-free upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, he gave me a lift to my flat.<br /><br />All in all I spent almost 48 hours in transit that last day. I DO not want to do that any time again soon. I had a good time and felt very relaxed back home and was thrilled to see family and friends.<br /><br />Saying that, things are bad back there economically. A lot of my friends are in danger of losing assets and savings. The government doesn't seem to care and is doing nothing for the average citizen. I know things are relative and the US is still quite wealthy compared to most parts of the world but stuff seems to be winding down back home. Maybe it is the inevitable ebb and flow of nations and cultures but it is still sad. We have no one to blame but ourselves, however. We had a good thing and we screwed it up.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-18999314683307765202011-07-16T19:27:00.000+04:002011-07-16T19:27:55.557+04:00"Big E Bullshit"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I am getting damned tired of turning on my TV and computer only to find out there is another problem with my video and internet reception! I got up early this morning to do some work and catch up on emails only to find both devices blankly staring back at me with these vague "You will not be entertained or get any online stuff done for an indefinite amount of time" messages.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XeS5SM9duN0/TiGrbwxjl6I/AAAAAAAAFI4/BeELJJKaGeo/s1600/annual+leave1+246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XeS5SM9duN0/TiGrbwxjl6I/AAAAAAAAFI4/BeELJJKaGeo/s400/annual+leave1+246.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />I live in a fairly new building complex and I know from my past technical experience that the network here is a state-of-the-art fiber optic system capable of wonderful things. Why the provider, "Big E", can't keep it operating is beyond me. I suspect a weakness in the human factor is to blame. The infrastucture is there but not enough skill, knowledge or planning to make it work reliably.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ASasyIx_Ng4/TiGriTn3z7I/AAAAAAAAFI8/NXnY8X2hoDk/s1600/annual+leave1+247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ASasyIx_Ng4/TiGriTn3z7I/AAAAAAAAFI8/NXnY8X2hoDk/s400/annual+leave1+247.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />I literally spent hours on the telephone trying to work things out with sometimes ill-mannered, cryptic help desk personnel and have had many visits by technicians. One time a tech guy called when I was in the shower and because I failed to answer the phone right away he left and cancelled my service request. I couldn't get another appointment until 4 days later. They come, do some things to make it work and it ultimately fails later.<br /><br />The services are not cheap either. There is no competition for my business. The UAE has some of the highest communication rates in the world. Back home there would be 3 or 4 providers vying for my money, I had a choice, Here, take it or leave it. For the amount I pay I expect much better service.<br /><br />I cringe whenever I fire up the laptop or turn on the television as I anticipate yet another problem. With the monopoly here I can't expect it to get better as they have no incentive to improve. I am stuck and it seems I have to deal with it. Such a waste of my time and theirs..<br /><br />So here I sit after yet another unproductive, tedious help desk call awaiting a field technician to contact me. Apparently its a hardware failure, seems to be not enough LEDs are lit up on my fiber optic modem. I have a 12 hour graveyard night shift later today and I'll bet the tech's call will come right in the middle of my afternoon snooze. Past experience almost guarantees it. <br /><br />Nothing is easy! Dammit! I pay enough for online access and I expect it to be reliable. Did I mention the internet is censored here too?Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-25957166107325087422011-07-09T17:03:00.002+04:002011-07-10T08:52:25.954+04:00Annual Leave 2011 Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>So I stayed in St, George, Utah for awhile. I visited where I used to work and saw a lot of my ex-coworkers and friends. St. George is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, it is in between the mountainous Colorado Plateau and the Mojave Desert. This gives the area a unique geography. You have granite mountains on one side, red sandstone on another and&nbsp; real desert on another replete with Joshua trees I love the changes. Each turn of the road reveals another scenario. I never get tired of it.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExfE_hhNFJI/ThflljO803I/AAAAAAAAFFs/dksYcnYNnAc/s1600/greenSGU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExfE_hhNFJI/ThflljO803I/AAAAAAAAFFs/dksYcnYNnAc/s1600/greenSGU.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. George, Utah. Heaven on Earth</td></tr></tbody></table>.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AbPPdyL9w6A/ThflgS_3wGI/AAAAAAAAFFo/-fXSx8pWUgo/s1600/27_joshua_tree_and_rock_formations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AbPPdyL9w6A/ThflgS_3wGI/AAAAAAAAFFo/-fXSx8pWUgo/s400/27_joshua_tree_and_rock_formations.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Joshua tree,they are not to be screwed with! I love the desert.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>&nbsp;After a few days there socializing and taking care of some personal business, I had to drive to Las Vegas for a flight to Florida to see my mother.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PkotDOaoXa8/ThkmRoD7JrI/AAAAAAAAFIM/2_W_z6rHu9Y/s1600/annual+leave1+151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PkotDOaoXa8/ThkmRoD7JrI/AAAAAAAAFIM/2_W_z6rHu9Y/s400/annual+leave1+151.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virgin River Gourge</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0TP99gKo8c/ThfmebxdmAI/AAAAAAAAFF0/xVgNlxWrWZ4/s1600/annual+leave1+145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0TP99gKo8c/ThfmebxdmAI/AAAAAAAAFF0/xVgNlxWrWZ4/s400/annual+leave1+145.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interstate Highway 15 Though the Virgin River Gourge<br /><br /><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHqyi7KS-z4/Thflzs238jI/AAAAAAAAFFw/v0TphXTo620/s1600/annual+leave1+162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHqyi7KS-z4/Thflzs238jI/AAAAAAAAFFw/v0TphXTo620/s400/annual+leave1+162.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Car-- Topless in Mesquite, Nevada</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Smht1y31iws/ThkiE-Ds0AI/AAAAAAAAFHw/eBthC6phwrI/s1600/annual+leave1+156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Smht1y31iws/ThkiE-Ds0AI/AAAAAAAAFHw/eBthC6phwrI/s400/annual+leave1+156.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virgin River Gourge</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1ILWDv46Po/ThfmnHTn8eI/AAAAAAAAFF4/Z-_jzE-SzA0/s1600/annual+leave1+146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1ILWDv46Po/ThfmnHTn8eI/AAAAAAAAFF4/Z-_jzE-SzA0/s400/annual+leave1+146.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interstate Highway 15 Virgin River Gourge<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I am here to tell you that there are few things more pleasurable than hauling ass at 90 MPH in an American Ford V-8 Mustang GT five speed convertible on a long, straight desert highway. The rumble of the engine combined with the sun on my face and wind in my hair made the journey one to remember.<br /><br />The Virgin River Gourge was one of the last sectors to be completed in the American Interstate highway system due to the rugged terrain. To this day, mountain goats and dynamite marks can be seen on the mountain sides which makes this one of the best 20 miles of road in the USA.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br />I got to Las Vegas OK and stayed with some friends and flew to Florida the next night. One complaint I have is my flight left out of Terminal 2 and all the bars were closed at 9 o'clock. That just ain't right as I was in the supposed fun capitol of the world and I couldn't even get a cold draft beer before my flight! Bullshit!<br /><br />The overnight flight to Florida went alright except the airline misdirected my baggage in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They made up for it the next night by delivering my bags to my mom's house. Mom was doing well and after being reunited with my clean skivvies from the recovered luggage, I was good to go. I got lucky at the rental car company as they gave me a new 2011 Fire Engine Red Mustang. I flirted with the attractive Filipina attendant and she gave me the Mustang instead of a boring Buick Lucerne.God love her!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5aEnoKgoNvs/Thfm0PixgoI/AAAAAAAAFGA/wvYedO0xx9A/s1600/annual+leave1+166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5aEnoKgoNvs/Thfm0PixgoI/AAAAAAAAFGA/wvYedO0xx9A/s400/annual+leave1+166.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2011 Mustang...Mom's house, Ft. Walton Beach Florida</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fu37tz1d5Ck/Thfm5IgVUtI/AAAAAAAAFGE/i9URojXVTxc/s1600/annual+leave1+167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fu37tz1d5Ck/Thfm5IgVUtI/AAAAAAAAFGE/i9URojXVTxc/s400/annual+leave1+167.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved the Car!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I spend a few days relaxing in Florida as it was hectic in the previous week. I haven't felt so rested in months I spent time driving around neighborhoods where I grew up and to the beach. A year ago, the coast was threatened by the large BP oil spill. The area dodged a bullet as there are few signs of the accident now. Maybe all the crude is on the sea floor but none is evident on the beach. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z6kTBw93Y9I/Thfnxvqr1DI/AAAAAAAAFGY/ddxucjkq8tM/s1600/annual+leave1+219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z6kTBw93Y9I/Thfnxvqr1DI/AAAAAAAAFGY/ddxucjkq8tM/s400/annual+leave1+219.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sandpiper</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6nXPpJCrCe0/ThkhUJkddUI/AAAAAAAAFHg/suO31gVnT6E/s1600/annual+leave1+217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6nXPpJCrCe0/ThkhUJkddUI/AAAAAAAAFHg/suO31gVnT6E/s400/annual+leave1+217.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a Good Day for the Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3s-Nt6PxJaw/ThfnBQfFAUI/AAAAAAAAFGI/D_drMN6b3Lo/s1600/annual+leave1+168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3s-Nt6PxJaw/ThfnBQfFAUI/AAAAAAAAFGI/D_drMN6b3Lo/s400/annual+leave1+168.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wayside Park</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SqO2GgDO0JA/Thfmr0dGmeI/AAAAAAAAFF8/ALioWC59q78/s1600/annual+leave1+220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SqO2GgDO0JA/Thfmr0dGmeI/AAAAAAAAFF8/ALioWC59q78/s400/annual+leave1+220.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wayside Park</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rRWVtCIETMg/Thfo6avsljI/AAAAAAAAFG4/fY_brOy2Erw/s1600/annual+leave1+218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rRWVtCIETMg/Thfo6avsljI/AAAAAAAAFG4/fY_brOy2Erw/s400/annual+leave1+218.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inclement Weather<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vmaUJYLiVYs/Thfntc4chMI/AAAAAAAAFGU/Ti4IZYMRfB8/s1600/annual+leave1+169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vmaUJYLiVYs/Thfntc4chMI/AAAAAAAAFGU/Ti4IZYMRfB8/s400/annual+leave1+169.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Speak</td></tr></tbody></table><br />N<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-teVFvvbIgZ0/ThkhfUWi1_I/AAAAAAAAFHk/dNNuWBn4lAk/s1600/annual+leave1+172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-teVFvvbIgZ0/ThkhfUWi1_I/AAAAAAAAFHk/dNNuWBn4lAk/s400/annual+leave1+172.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children's Art From Destin Elementary School</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaxJWM3x2zg/ThkiKjHctwI/AAAAAAAAFH0/yP6BWti5rYE/s1600/annual+leave1+201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaxJWM3x2zg/ThkiKjHctwI/AAAAAAAAFH0/yP6BWti5rYE/s400/annual+leave1+201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I Found This Hanging From a Tree Branch</td></tr></tbody></table><br />One day I went to the Blue Marlin Tournament at Sandestin. I was early as no boats came in to the docks that day for a weigh in but I had a good time nevertheless.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rWBtADdAwmA/ThklL9aLi9I/AAAAAAAAFH8/LzZpdmyHYp4/s1600/annual+leave1+171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rWBtADdAwmA/ThklL9aLi9I/AAAAAAAAFH8/LzZpdmyHYp4/s400/annual+leave1+171.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Thanks!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm6hyYLoOT0/Thkhr9sZAPI/AAAAAAAAFHo/888bZo11cgY/s1600/annual+leave1+178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm6hyYLoOT0/Thkhr9sZAPI/AAAAAAAAFHo/888bZo11cgY/s400/annual+leave1+178.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northwest Florida Wetlands</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Yoft3TrfV4/ThklcdwtLTI/AAAAAAAAFIE/-LwOO2nwHQg/s1600/annual+leave1+179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Yoft3TrfV4/ThklcdwtLTI/AAAAAAAAFIE/-LwOO2nwHQg/s400/annual+leave1+179.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Wetlands Maybe a Gator or Two In There</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D5qWyoZLWaA/ThkmeVboF3I/AAAAAAAAFIQ/sBpHUrnEPYQ/s1600/annual+leave1+202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D5qWyoZLWaA/ThkmeVboF3I/AAAAAAAAFIQ/sBpHUrnEPYQ/s400/annual+leave1+202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Cool Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KmCUpQFMc20/Thfosv1E6XI/AAAAAAAAFGw/jAGV92ypA4g/s1600/annual+leave1+182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KmCUpQFMc20/Thfosv1E6XI/AAAAAAAAFGw/jAGV92ypA4g/s400/annual+leave1+182.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baytowne Marina, Sandestin Resort</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8PHvu7W9cA/Thfn7IRXvnI/AAAAAAAAFGc/H7nc5D6Nlj0/s1600/annual+leave1+174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8PHvu7W9cA/Thfn7IRXvnI/AAAAAAAAFGc/H7nc5D6Nlj0/s400/annual+leave1+174.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I Don't Think So<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIC7WPhZS6Y/Thfo1nQWEgI/AAAAAAAAFG0/9u6Yhzo68B4/s1600/annual+leave1+209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIC7WPhZS6Y/Thfo1nQWEgI/AAAAAAAAFG0/9u6Yhzo68B4/s400/annual+leave1+209.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life is Good!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F-HzVfH2AYM/ThklTGvFYlI/AAAAAAAAFIA/t98WNmy6dwc/s1600/annual+leave1+181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="343" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F-HzVfH2AYM/ThklTGvFYlI/AAAAAAAAFIA/t98WNmy6dwc/s400/annual+leave1+181.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World's Largest Fishing Lure</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8a2hwg2Fac/ThklB2Ku81I/AAAAAAAAFH4/Wi_dNJS664Q/s1600/annual+leave1+211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8a2hwg2Fac/ThklB2Ku81I/AAAAAAAAFH4/Wi_dNJS664Q/s400/annual+leave1+211.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you Shitting Me...My Speedo does Not Go That Low!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g52HdILlJjw/ThhL4eWZc4I/AAAAAAAAFHc/xjzpC7d2I7I/s1600/blue-marlin1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g52HdILlJjw/ThhL4eWZc4I/AAAAAAAAFHc/xjzpC7d2I7I/s400/blue-marlin1.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Premiere Billfish Tournaments in the World<br /><br /><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />While at Sandestin, I met this little buddy. They are commonly known as cameleons but are really anole lizards. They change from lime green to tobacco brown in an instant. You can see the color change in the photos. He/she is turning brown. The throat thing is a territorial sign for me to keep away. Didn't work. They are good cat toys.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNkSF1dqFdg/ThfpGPYQXzI/AAAAAAAAFG8/fwRnVNslUHA/s1600/annual+leave1+193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNkSF1dqFdg/ThfpGPYQXzI/AAAAAAAAFG8/fwRnVNslUHA/s400/annual+leave1+193.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JnXJKYZR7Q0/ThfpOlic0MI/AAAAAAAAFHA/o-B-qM4oZek/s1600/annual+leave1+197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JnXJKYZR7Q0/ThfpOlic0MI/AAAAAAAAFHA/o-B-qM4oZek/s400/annual+leave1+197.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning Brown and Threatening Me</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Edited June 10 for more photos and content.<br />Stay tuned for part 3Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-14714985652662588472011-07-01T11:19:00.000+04:002011-07-01T11:19:05.424+04:00Annual Leave 2011 Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">On the 29th I returned to Abu Dhabi after over 3 weeks in the US. I had a good time and the trip was very productive for a change as I got a lot of business done as well as having some fun along the way. As always, it was great to see friends and family. It was almost like I never left as everyone looked and behaved the same. That was comforting as I need that consistency in my life. Some folks were undergoing changes because of some personal and/or financial reasons but overall things had not changed much.<br /><br />The places I visited are on&nbsp;<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=210084160440312043608.0004a6f9d44eaaf4f7a7a&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=h&amp;ll=39.164141,-97.910156&amp;spn=19.379999,55.107422&amp;z=4">this link</a> to Google Maps. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdVcKWZSpk4/Tg1Xc2PuzZI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/ZZvCh1u2WhU/s1600/annual+leave1+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>I arrived in New York, New York (the city so nice, they named it twice!) on the 9th and checked into a hotel room near the airport as it was too late to continue out West that night. I turned on the television and was shocked at the amount of advertisements! Ten minutes of content are interrupted by five minutes of commercials for medicines and food. I wondered if this was all people were interested in. One channel had what I consider one of the evils in the USA, the evangelistic, pseudo Christian "snake oil" preachers that sell false hope to people who are experiencing hard times.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdVcKWZSpk4/Tg1Xc2PuzZI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/ZZvCh1u2WhU/s1600/annual+leave1+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdVcKWZSpk4/Tg1Xc2PuzZI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/ZZvCh1u2WhU/s400/annual+leave1+007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watch Your Wallet!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjUu1GtOZzg/Tg1XmqImvZI/AAAAAAAAFEY/IBUw7msegBc/s1600/annual+leave1+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjUu1GtOZzg/Tg1XmqImvZI/AAAAAAAAFEY/IBUw7msegBc/s400/annual+leave1+017.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Miracle" Spring Water</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OYrO5KdZ88M/Tg1Xr88Ml-I/AAAAAAAAFEc/h9B6fuJhIzw/s1600/annual+leave1+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OYrO5KdZ88M/Tg1Xr88Ml-I/AAAAAAAAFEc/h9B6fuJhIzw/s400/annual+leave1+026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish it Was This Easy!</td></tr></tbody></table>Anyway, this was entertaining for awhile thinking the Deity could erase my debts just by dripping some water on my noggin. May be worth a try! If it worked, I guarantee I would have a much happier expression on my face than the woman above.<br /><br />New York was experiencing a record heat wave when I was there. It was 98 degrees F, the hottest since 1933. I was dripping sweat the whole time. I fared better than most as I am acclimated to the harsh UAE climate.<br /><br />Ther next day I boarded a Delta Airlines flight to Salt Lake City and ultimately to St. George, Utah. The flights went uneventfully except the young lady sitting next to me slept on her tray table most of the way. When the tray tables were ordered up on descent, she slept against the seatback movie screen and I suggested to her friend that we secure a pillow in case of a rough landing so she won't bruise her rather attractive face. Must have been a long previous night!<br /><br />I arrived in St. George and stayed at a friend's house. I was delighted that his two dogs remembered me and were happy to see me. For the next few days they were my constant companions.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LN0aD_c8G6Q/Tg1gNNMscyI/AAAAAAAAFEo/_HheOoAPOnA/s1600/annual+leave1+119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LN0aD_c8G6Q/Tg1gNNMscyI/AAAAAAAAFEo/_HheOoAPOnA/s400/annual+leave1+119.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rayo the Boxer Dog</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fiZGsVb-AX4/Tg1gSAKFSlI/AAAAAAAAFEs/4b_YDti7fjU/s1600/annual+leave1+135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fiZGsVb-AX4/Tg1gSAKFSlI/AAAAAAAAFEs/4b_YDti7fjU/s400/annual+leave1+135.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bailey the Golden Retriever</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CzlWKqr7ycY/Tg1gD919b1I/AAAAAAAAFEk/rRZ4bdGOFFs/s1600/annual+leave1+115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CzlWKqr7ycY/Tg1gD919b1I/AAAAAAAAFEk/rRZ4bdGOFFs/s400/annual+leave1+115.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rayo and Bailey Clowning Around</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Dogs have no sense of time. I could go outside for 3 minutes but when I came back in it was like I had been gone for ages and they would jump all over me like I was never coming back. I miss my furry buddies!<br /><br />I flew back up to Salt Lake City to meet another friend and we went to Wendover, Nevada for some gambling and debauchery at the casinos there. Wendover is about 110 miles due west from Salt Lake City. It is where all the Mormons go to be naughty. Border towns in Nevada offer a stark contrast to the straight-laced Utah residents. <br /><br />The way to Wendover is an arrow-straight interstate highway through some of the most unique lands in the world. It passes through the Bonneville Salt Flats which are well known for land speed record attempts. Every winter it rains and melts the natural salt. In the summer, the water evaporates and leaves a perfectly flat bed of bright white salt which covers hundreds of square miles.Good for racing!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AH8qvAalzyc/Tg1nNuypsAI/AAAAAAAAFE0/e_yZwUxAzQY/s1600/annual+leave1+043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AH8qvAalzyc/Tg1nNuypsAI/AAAAAAAAFE0/e_yZwUxAzQY/s400/annual+leave1+043.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train on the Original "Gold Spike" Route</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vTRsYylpgfg/Tg1nTF5BCHI/AAAAAAAAFE4/qwdujF3Kjt4/s1600/annual+leave1+075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vTRsYylpgfg/Tg1nTF5BCHI/AAAAAAAAFE4/qwdujF3Kjt4/s400/annual+leave1+075.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonneville Salt Flats</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IMlFrKggw78/Tg1nh1HyobI/AAAAAAAAFE8/j81QKLxK5-g/s1600/annual+leave1+087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IMlFrKggw78/Tg1nh1HyobI/AAAAAAAAFE8/j81QKLxK5-g/s400/annual+leave1+087.jpg" width="330" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonneville Salt Flats</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t774PbY645M/Tg1nqfjSDCI/AAAAAAAAFFA/vtAuQdPwyXw/s1600/annual+leave1+065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t774PbY645M/Tg1nqfjSDCI/AAAAAAAAFFA/vtAuQdPwyXw/s400/annual+leave1+065.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strange Sculpture in the Desert</td></tr></tbody></table>The ride to Wendover was fun. In addition to the above sights, I saw a weird airship hovering north of the motorway. It looked like a stationary radar blimp but no tethering lines were visible. I am not saying this craft is anything out of the ordinary but it is rumored that since Area 51 north of&nbsp; Las Vegas got so much publicity, the government moved a lot of clandestine activities to the Dugway Proving Grounds in northwest Utah near where we were driving. As far as I know, the US military has not flown blimps since the 1930's. There are many restricted areas there and it is very remote.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JmpE8-IB4GQ/Tg1oLp87j1I/AAAAAAAAFFQ/HgqXMCPmlMo/s1600/annual+leave1+050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JmpE8-IB4GQ/Tg1oLp87j1I/AAAAAAAAFFQ/HgqXMCPmlMo/s400/annual+leave1+050.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WTF is This?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7SPIiT0OJzw/Tg1oYf2RmQI/AAAAAAAAFFU/288nzhxIiIo/s1600/annual+leave1+055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7SPIiT0OJzw/Tg1oYf2RmQI/AAAAAAAAFFU/288nzhxIiIo/s400/annual+leave1+055.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">??????</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bosJjurtgH0/Tg1ojk1WnEI/AAAAAAAAFFY/fPuTuDsFUUU/s1600/annual+leave1+062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bosJjurtgH0/Tg1ojk1WnEI/AAAAAAAAFFY/fPuTuDsFUUU/s400/annual+leave1+062.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aliens?</td></tr></tbody></table>We got to Wendover successfully without being abducted and probed by Martians. I spent three days there in the Nugget and lost 2 weeks pay. I had fun anyway playing craps and blackjack. Wendover is&nbsp; home to some very strange people due to the isolation and proliferation of drugs.There is nothing there but gambling.,alcohol and crystal meth which attracts the fringe.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lccX19S8E1o/Tg1n6dO8yFI/AAAAAAAAFFI/lD2DWki9bEM/s1600/annual+leave1+083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lccX19S8E1o/Tg1n6dO8yFI/AAAAAAAAFFI/lD2DWki9bEM/s400/annual+leave1+083.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nugget</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wwpzQ1ejXHk/Tg1nzFMl21I/AAAAAAAAFFE/qikEO9rIZTU/s1600/annual+leave1+082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wwpzQ1ejXHk/Tg1nzFMl21I/AAAAAAAAFFE/qikEO9rIZTU/s400/annual+leave1+082.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendover Casino</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ujGlMTa5CBU/Tg1oBpcFKqI/AAAAAAAAFFM/qY6t4m5i9w8/s1600/annual+leave1+085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ujGlMTa5CBU/Tg1oBpcFKqI/AAAAAAAAFFM/qY6t4m5i9w8/s400/annual+leave1+085.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendover Casino</td></tr></tbody></table>I flew back to St. George after the junket and had to take care of some business there. I had to get the laptop repaired, new tires on the car, a visit to the bank, a haircut and meeting up with friends, not necessarily in that order.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ULCH48Be1Ek/Tg1zeaF0x2I/AAAAAAAAFFc/PQH4x6kSE6M/s1600/annual+leave1+098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ULCH48Be1Ek/Tg1zeaF0x2I/AAAAAAAAFFc/PQH4x6kSE6M/s400/annual+leave1+098.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to St. George, Great Salt Lake Below</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgCtmNMVDHI/Tg1z_I9rvmI/AAAAAAAAFFg/nj4vVfswbl4/s1600/annual+leave1+103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgCtmNMVDHI/Tg1z_I9rvmI/AAAAAAAAFFg/nj4vVfswbl4/s400/annual+leave1+103.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Still on the Wasatch Mountains</td></tr></tbody></table>Part 2 will be my journey to Las Vegas and Florida. Much to tell there.</div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-40557526059864556822011-06-04T19:28:00.003+04:002011-06-07T07:56:09.994+04:00Best Laid Plans II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It is Summer again and that means it is time for my annual leave back to the homeland. It has been over a year since I have graced (or befouled, depending on your political and/or moral leanings) my nation of birth.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rVqsSBbogMQ/TepKebb8D-I/AAAAAAAAFDI/hp5g4aSw228/s1600/usa-map-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rVqsSBbogMQ/TepKebb8D-I/AAAAAAAAFDI/hp5g4aSw228/s400/usa-map-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The US, Something For Everyone!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />I get asked all the time why I don't get back to the USA more often. Due to my vocation, I have the means and time to do so. The simple answer is that the taxman is to blame. He keeps me away from friends and family for all but a mere 30 days a year or he will make claim of a rather large percentage of the income I earn in foreign lands.<br /><br /><br />I have complained about this before. American citizens living and working overseas are penalized if they dare spend over a month back home during a year. Family emergency, screw you...you pay,&nbsp; miss a flight, screw you... you pay,&nbsp; break a leg and need hospital time, screw you...you pay. Get the idea? No other country treats its expatriot citizens this harshly. As a veteran of the US Navy, I am not amused. I served my country and now they hold this sword over my head.<br /><br />I find this wrong on many levels. As an expat, I put no burden on the US infrastructure and I don't add to the massive debt and deficit. I feel like I am actually doing the government a favor by not living there. They don't have to feed and house me or provide me with medical care. They don't have to worry about policing me or collecting my garbage but for some reason they feel the need to stick me for taxes if I don't follow some lame random rules anyway. Even when I live 8000 miles away and have not earned a penny in the US for years. It is MY money not theirs!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfmnyfbAFbI/TepNikS_dXI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/b6juIHpnPHg/s1600/irs-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfmnyfbAFbI/TepNikS_dXI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/b6juIHpnPHg/s400/irs-2.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Internal Revenue Service</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Anyway, rant over. I am due to fly back home in a couple of days, and I am apprehensive about it. I should be happy and excited, but instead I sense a dark foreboding. I am clueless to why that is.<br /><br />The first thing that happened is that a good friend/ex- coworker and I planned to meet here 4 days in advance of my departure. She was to fly from the US, we would see some sights then fly back together on my departure date back to JFK and go our own ways from there.<br /><br />Simple, huh? Not quite. She was standby and got bumped off the flight from JFK to Abu Dhabi in a rare occasion where everyone actually showed up on time for the flight. Not one of the ~300 seats went unfilled.&nbsp; It was an abort at the last minute. She ended up going back to her home.<br /><br />I had delayed my departure to the US due to her visit and now have 4 empty days in Abu Dhabi eating into my valuable annual leave time. I could alter my plans and leave Abu Dhabi earlier but it is cost prohibitive to change my employer supplied JFK to Utah discount tickets on Delta airlines. Even if I did eat this cost and go through the gyrations of changing my itinerary (nothing is easy here!), all I would gain is 2 days because the travel center is closed today and the earliest I could possibly leave is the 6th instead of the 8th.<br /><br />This is a perfect example of the "Butterfly Effect" where it is theorized that the presence or absence of a butterfly flapping its wings in a certain time or place may trigger the presence or absence of a hurricane in another time or place. In other words, series of minor, unrelated events add up to alter the lives of others. If just one passenger was delayed in NYC traffic and couldn't make the flight, my friend could have gotten a seat and my plans would have been realized and theirs would not.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wY_pCc7MA2E/TepRWYq6pZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/A_Nr01Nh2R8/s1600/ButterflyEffectlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wY_pCc7MA2E/TepRWYq6pZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/A_Nr01Nh2R8/s1600/ButterflyEffectlarge.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uh Oh,&nbsp; Could Be Trouble!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />We are not as in control of our existence as we like to think, everything is interconnected and our lives are determined by random things that happen near and far. For example, think about the circumstances surrounding the meeting your significant other. Most likely the meeting was the result of purely random choices, location and timing. Muslims have a good word for this, <i>Inshallah</i>. Loosely translated to, "If God is willing, it will happen". I am not sure about a deity being involved, but I think for the most part, we are just along for the ride with little personal influence in the outcome. There are just too many outside factors beyond our control.<br /><br />Anyway, I will chronicle my upcoming visit back home in words and photos again as I did last year. Those posts seemed to be very popular and I will try to outdo myself this year. I plan on visits to NYC, Utah, Las Vegas, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Chicago. Even though the start of my holiday was not auspicious with the failure of my friend's trip, I hope to have many adventures and stories to tell, <i>Inshallah!</i><span id="goog_1687998752"></span><span id="goog_1687998753"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-32691103621923038462011-05-12T15:07:00.000+04:002011-05-14T00:47:55.001+04:00Songkran<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I have been in kind of a mental slump lately. Maybe it is the return of the heat to this region, or maybe it is fatigue due to my brutal work schedule.All I know is that I have had a severe case of dont-give-a-shit-itis in the past couple of months. A possible cure for this condition presented itself in the form of an invitation to join a colleague and his Thai wife and 4 year old son to Thailand last month for Songkran.<br /><br />Songkran is the Thai New Year' Celebration. In the old days it was held when certain astrological conditions were met that closely coincided with the vernal equinox. Elders and monks were visited and water was sprinkled on the shoulders of family and friends as gestures of good luck for the coming year. Faces of those&nbsp; blessed by Buddhist monks bore a chalk marking, also a symbol of good luck.&nbsp; Seems like no matter where you are there is some sort of vernal equinox celebration.It seems a universal human need to welcome the time when the Sun is aligned with the equator and daytime and nightime are equal. Christianity's Easter is an example.<br /><br />In modern times Songkran has been pegged around the middle of April. Different regions of the country celebrate at different times but mostly it is observed between the 13th and the 19th. The gentle sprinkles of water have given way to water bazookas and 5 liter buckets recharged from giant bins of ice cold water. Motorists on certain streets have to run a gauntlet of revelers armed to the teeth with diabolical water dispensing devices. No one can expect to stay dry. My mobile phone was a casualty of an errant splash.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh7dc99yMwQ/Tcvcp1aDjLI/AAAAAAAAFBI/DtDuO8FM0vU/s1600/pattaya2011+281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh7dc99yMwQ/Tcvcp1aDjLI/AAAAAAAAFBI/DtDuO8FM0vU/s400/pattaya2011+281.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Direct Hit on a Mobile Dreadnaught</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w_TYS0-A6Vo/TcveOrNPAfI/AAAAAAAAFBk/FQg8antvpUQ/s1600/pattaya2011+244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w_TYS0-A6Vo/TcveOrNPAfI/AAAAAAAAFBk/FQg8antvpUQ/s400/pattaya2011+244.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couple of the Valiant Troops</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eJ8EmrXqG78/Tcvewpjy4RI/AAAAAAAAFBs/hzMMWgDyzlc/s1600/pattaya2011+081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eJ8EmrXqG78/Tcvewpjy4RI/AAAAAAAAFBs/hzMMWgDyzlc/s400/pattaya2011+081.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the Taxis</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wbX5JFDx2PY/TcvfL4DdAqI/AAAAAAAAFB0/s2tuft29Skw/s1600/pattaya2011+261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wbX5JFDx2PY/TcvfL4DdAqI/AAAAAAAAFB0/s2tuft29Skw/s400/pattaya2011+261.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Guys are not to be Screwed With</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-shz2-IFOFZY/TcvefzoSSsI/AAAAAAAAFBo/TZcNwpf8OhY/s1600/pattaya2011+280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-shz2-IFOFZY/TcvefzoSSsI/AAAAAAAAFBo/TZcNwpf8OhY/s400/pattaya2011+280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking for Trouble</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJE7dzgaV5c/TcvfzlLiqDI/AAAAAAAAFCA/3UQzByAEskU/s1600/pattaya2011+245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJE7dzgaV5c/TcvfzlLiqDI/AAAAAAAAFCA/3UQzByAEskU/s400/pattaya2011+245.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Logistics Kept us full of Beer</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GNQV1-KnYLA/TcvgZCGRrpI/AAAAAAAAFCI/T4dOx_knqmk/s1600/pattaya2011+247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GNQV1-KnYLA/TcvgZCGRrpI/AAAAAAAAFCI/T4dOx_knqmk/s400/pattaya2011+247.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thailand, Land of Smiles!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5k9PQR4UQ54/TcvgnWtgauI/AAAAAAAAFCM/Ct7D9H0JDtI/s1600/pattaya2011+208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5k9PQR4UQ54/TcvgnWtgauI/AAAAAAAAFCM/Ct7D9H0JDtI/s400/pattaya2011+208.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howling at the Moon</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMDrV83DXgc/TcveAEn12iI/AAAAAAAAFBg/BjCNFpiP47o/s1600/pattaya2011+295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WMDrV83DXgc/TcveAEn12iI/AAAAAAAAFBg/BjCNFpiP47o/s400/pattaya2011+295.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You Fill in the Blanks! No Magnums?&nbsp; Dammit!!!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rf3ym-5tG9U/TcvfC20fE3I/AAAAAAAAFBw/63rotTz-Vbw/s1600/pattaya2011+286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rf3ym-5tG9U/TcvfC20fE3I/AAAAAAAAFBw/63rotTz-Vbw/s400/pattaya2011+286.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Weird on Different Levels..What's with the Bow Tie? Formal Night?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xc5FvGSLCqM/TcvdlZO5cvI/AAAAAAAAFBc/TEmMz1a0j7g/s1600/pattaya2011+325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xc5FvGSLCqM/TcvdlZO5cvI/AAAAAAAAFBc/TEmMz1a0j7g/s400/pattaya2011+325.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 3 Days of Songkran, I can Relate with these Thai Pups!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>At first I was I was skeptical. How much fun can I have being squirted with ice water constantly for 3 days? Come to find out, it was a blast! I felt I was 10 years old again. It was like an aquatic Mardi Gras. What's better than the sanctioned, unlimited use of a water bazooka against others?<br /><br />Everyone was in a good mood and I never saw even the hint of a conflict. I love Thailand and its people. The Land of Smiles! They know something about happiness in life that us Westerners have yet to discover.<br /><br />Go to Thailand during Sangkran (or anytime), you will not regret it!<br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-84930535053388431032011-04-09T22:59:00.000+04:002011-04-09T22:59:21.581+04:00LIQUOR LICENCE-LOCATION DETAILS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My resourceful readers beat me to it, one even has GPS coordinates. Nothing is easy here when it comes to finding things.I apologize by not posting these images earlier but my internet was down for the last 4 days from dealing with a dispute with the telecommunications giant here in Abu Dhabi well known for their customer service. I think most can relate.<br /><br />There are no street addresses and everyone you ask seems to have a different opinion on which direction one needs to go to get to the desired destination. It is especially frustrating when a legal requirement must be met and good intentions are thwarted due to lack of information.<br /><br />IMHO, the whole Liquor Licence thing requirement is going away due to what I have seen lately, but best be legal just in case.<br /><br />Below is a Google Earth view of the new office. The courtyard to the lower left is a shambles due to construction which makes it hard to find the place to park as there is no local parking and the licence renewal office is smaller than my bathroom.<br /><br />Thousands of expats are trying to do the right thing and comply with the law, but this is gonna be tough!<br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BAW3S60WonU/TaCocqssYhI/AAAAAAAAEaU/YJLmE650Ktw/s400/GoogleEarth_Imageliquorlicence.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road at top is the Mooror Road</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good luck, you will need it!</span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-84082433978211739762011-04-03T17:56:00.001+04:002011-04-03T18:01:41.564+04:00FAI Race at Yas Island<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I usually don't post twice in one day but I am in a writing mood and wanted to get this done. I went to this race two weeks ago. The venue was the the Yas Island Marina Circuit which is just a few KM's from my humble abode. When I first moved here, it was a wasteland, everything was under construction and just to get a loaf of bread was an ordeal. Now Khalifa City A as it is known has come into its own. I rarely have to venture into the city anymore.<br /><br />There are world class hotels in this area now and the Yas Island complex is home to the Formula One race and many other automotive events.<br /><br />This will be mostly photos...one picture is worth a thousand words!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BgeIoiWwPtY/TZhcHNX3s6I/AAAAAAAAEYk/k5u1Ldk2_EY/s1600/f1+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BgeIoiWwPtY/TZhcHNX3s6I/AAAAAAAAEYk/k5u1Ldk2_EY/s400/f1+003.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ferrari World Theme Park, I am not Kidding! Landscape Pending</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtSdYO86fYc/TZhcLoR286I/AAAAAAAAEYo/I4Z_vDlDtfo/s1600/f1+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AtSdYO86fYc/TZhcLoR286I/AAAAAAAAEYo/I4Z_vDlDtfo/s400/f1+005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roller Coaster at Ferrari World</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGFuR5qapew/TZhcSswMgII/AAAAAAAAEYs/2wRqMifp4e0/s1600/f1+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGFuR5qapew/TZhcSswMgII/AAAAAAAAEYs/2wRqMifp4e0/s400/f1+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yas Marina Circuit</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PZf20SFiNc/TZhcrdbnp0I/AAAAAAAAEYw/ip5c7QuSDFY/s1600/f1+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PZf20SFiNc/TZhcrdbnp0I/AAAAAAAAEYw/ip5c7QuSDFY/s400/f1+008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Racertack</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V8x2Ftwo92A/TZhgJ8h6bcI/AAAAAAAAEZA/EH60ONYjFw8/s1600/f1+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V8x2Ftwo92A/TZhgJ8h6bcI/AAAAAAAAEZA/EH60ONYjFw8/s400/f1+010.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQWTo1qr3xA/TZhgYyB2EjI/AAAAAAAAEZE/4Szee4qpfKo/s1600/f1+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQWTo1qr3xA/TZhgYyB2EjI/AAAAAAAAEZE/4Szee4qpfKo/s400/f1+014.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pits</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmbSWCHW2Ig/TZhgkQZOMhI/AAAAAAAAEZI/4NLfiT7Aocs/s1600/f1+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmbSWCHW2Ig/TZhgkQZOMhI/AAAAAAAAEZI/4NLfiT7Aocs/s400/f1+012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MVfFFz0XM20/TZhgpW6XsrI/AAAAAAAAEZM/zUMY6J384zg/s1600/f1+039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MVfFFz0XM20/TZhgpW6XsrI/AAAAAAAAEZM/zUMY6J384zg/s400/f1+039.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Dragster Built for Three, Who Would have Thunk?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rUkn4dWfLxc/TZhg-A1suHI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/doboiXVHjro/s1600/f1+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rUkn4dWfLxc/TZhg-A1suHI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/doboiXVHjro/s400/f1+045.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One For the Kidlets!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PSMKoJukNSg/TZhhQnbHuqI/AAAAAAAAEZU/8-xf6IG7wkg/s1600/f1+033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PSMKoJukNSg/TZhhQnbHuqI/AAAAAAAAEZU/8-xf6IG7wkg/s400/f1+033.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can we have have that in English? Damn!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ae9uox7NF08/TZhhzrMJ1yI/AAAAAAAAEZc/uvzI8VrORHA/s1600/f1+052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ae9uox7NF08/TZhhzrMJ1yI/AAAAAAAAEZc/uvzI8VrORHA/s400/f1+052.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Attention Seekers, It worked!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndf4Oi2sCLU/TZhiCKSRTrI/AAAAAAAAEZg/WbhqBhkG308/s1600/f1+057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndf4Oi2sCLU/TZhiCKSRTrI/AAAAAAAAEZg/WbhqBhkG308/s400/f1+057.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like the good Captain is in danger of losing his First Mate!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fx8z9jkw3tY/TZhjCQHIE7I/AAAAAAAAEZk/BlxOmQezx8A/s1600/f1+059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fx8z9jkw3tY/TZhjCQHIE7I/AAAAAAAAEZk/BlxOmQezx8A/s400/f1+059.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Nice Ladies at the Info Booth</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUFs5FOuf9c/TZhjdm3fxVI/AAAAAAAAEZo/Bmo7keLAubM/s1600/f1+070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUFs5FOuf9c/TZhjdm3fxVI/AAAAAAAAEZo/Bmo7keLAubM/s400/f1+070.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twilight at the Track</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Y7URJ2pyeg/TZhkB2ZkjhI/AAAAAAAAEZs/ShAXutLui9A/s1600/f1+127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Y7URJ2pyeg/TZhkB2ZkjhI/AAAAAAAAEZs/ShAXutLui9A/s400/f1+127.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Yacht Show was running Concurrently</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RONmotgj3Hk/TZhkb2uWSmI/AAAAAAAAEZw/PRYHqD5mUbg/s400/f1+100.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Million LED's</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0pxQ0kFWNX4/TZhl9lMOQFI/AAAAAAAAEZ8/OKpfTP02wts/s1600/f1+106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0pxQ0kFWNX4/TZhl9lMOQFI/AAAAAAAAEZ8/OKpfTP02wts/s400/f1+106.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dKe4PCMEdtM/TZhlqEv0cQI/AAAAAAAAEZ4/BD80yn4THY0/s400/f1+134.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hell of an Engine you will not find in your everyday Kia. That would be overkill!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hcan05Z7wK8/TZhnDq1s2ZI/AAAAAAAAEaI/dWTaTA3VV6g/s400/f1+128.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where your $4/gallon is going.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tL5adfXvXYo/TZhlEk_-z5I/AAAAAAAAEZ0/xkNySQbv36o/s1600/f1+085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tL5adfXvXYo/TZhlEk_-z5I/AAAAAAAAEZ0/xkNySQbv36o/s400/f1+085.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;Damn, left my checkbook at home again!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RGnhnqx3oYE/TZhmOTangdI/AAAAAAAAEaA/tVq5og8RCsk/s1600/f1+111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RGnhnqx3oYE/TZhmOTangdI/AAAAAAAAEaA/tVq5og8RCsk/s400/f1+111.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ditto!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uFVyzTVWX68/TZh7JVuRm5I/AAAAAAAAEaQ/irujqFTmEIs/s1600/f1+109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uFVyzTVWX68/TZh7JVuRm5I/AAAAAAAAEaQ/irujqFTmEIs/s400/f1+109.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How the Other&nbsp; Half Lives</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GCQfGRTaEeg/TZhmhtIhokI/AAAAAAAAEaE/2vh9WNDRO8A/s1600/f1+121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GCQfGRTaEeg/TZhmhtIhokI/AAAAAAAAEaE/2vh9WNDRO8A/s400/f1+121.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Note the cubby-hole for the Jetski.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Racecars and yachts made for a good day, I enjoy the choices I have here.<br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-29896642838246393522011-04-03T14:22:00.000+04:002011-04-03T14:22:25.126+04:00Equestrian Polo, Abu Dhabi Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I was recently invited to a polo match. It came out of the blue and I didn't know what to think of it. I was thinking I would have to find a crested blazer and an ascot to fit in. I am not Thurston Howell III&nbsp; but a simple guy who likes simple pleasures and this seemed way out of my league. I was assured otherwise and decided to go.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YjKRfHmFd6w/TZg-lUv2h1I/AAAAAAAAEX0/KkkvWnzVeek/s1600/thurstonhowell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YjKRfHmFd6w/TZg-lUv2h1I/AAAAAAAAEX0/KkkvWnzVeek/s400/thurstonhowell.jpg" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thurston Howell III and his wife, Lovey</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />It was a beautiful Spring day and I rented a car to go to the venue halfway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I miss owning a car and was excited to have the freedom to go where I want, when I want if only for 48 hours. I am looking for a "beater" car to regain my independence. Taxis and public transportation have their place but there just seems something missing by not owning one's car.<br /><br />Anyway, I arrived at a well groomed polo grounds. Admission was free and although there was a VIP section, we all decided to go "picnic style" as did most other spectators. Wine, cheese and bread were consumed while watching the action just yards away. Enjoy the images.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U4xaArNj2Q4/TZg_BDMDBsI/AAAAAAAAEX8/-67jEcYI1oQ/s1600/POLO+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U4xaArNj2Q4/TZg_BDMDBsI/AAAAAAAAEX8/-67jEcYI1oQ/s400/POLO+022.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R2jPlnOSq-s/TZg_Nea3K8I/AAAAAAAAEYA/Jb_NAgeMwcY/s400/POLO+040.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-match procession</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9NkB56T7Snw/TZg_fhVlGYI/AAAAAAAAEYI/St00TgzToIQ/s1600/POLO+035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9NkB56T7Snw/TZg_fhVlGYI/AAAAAAAAEYI/St00TgzToIQ/s400/POLO+035.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hwj0X0jg3dU/TZg_VgRPfzI/AAAAAAAAEYE/WjwkD5idD1A/s1600/POLO+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hwj0X0jg3dU/TZg_VgRPfzI/AAAAAAAAEYE/WjwkD5idD1A/s400/POLO+023.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K9H4bNrYswg/TZg-4w5nkHI/AAAAAAAAEX4/jDwe76eWzlg/s400/POLO+083.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ace, enjoying the action!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9rX3898hdBw/TZg_0YifLyI/AAAAAAAAEYQ/2XTlujFpXPw/s400/POLO+086.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Lovely Hostesses</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08QdUxqq2Bk/TZg_79oO8QI/AAAAAAAAEYU/Y6Mg2GMTavM/s400/POLO+052.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard, I still don't know the rules</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08QdUxqq2Bk/TZg_79oO8QI/AAAAAAAAEYU/Y6Mg2GMTavM/s1600/POLO+052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Ae<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lbQvf0O3GoQ/TZhAmWT0GNI/AAAAAAAAEYg/fiWabTfV2qM/s400/POLO+073.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aerial Feats!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pmM1N4taGXo/TZhAZleSKBI/AAAAAAAAEYc/SxqIzHCsNHI/s1600/POLO+077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pmM1N4taGXo/TZhAZleSKBI/AAAAAAAAEYc/SxqIzHCsNHI/s400/POLO+077.jpg" width="400" />&nbsp;</a></td><td style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guy actually missed the roof but not by much!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even though I miss my friends and family back in the USA, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to live and work in the UAE. I have options and experiences to be had here that I may not have had back home. After all, you only go around once. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-15011523533607365692011-03-27T18:20:00.002+04:002011-03-27T18:49:42.033+04:00LIQUOR LICENCE-THE SEQUEL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8J-gxWnyfJM/TY9GWgitD0I/AAAAAAAAEWY/IAy44DnFeIc/s1600/liquorlicence2011+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8J-gxWnyfJM/TY9GWgitD0I/AAAAAAAAEWY/IAy44DnFeIc/s400/liquorlicence2011+002.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The older ones had much more quality and were built like miniature passports, these new ones look like wedding invitations.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />For those of you may not know, adult beverages can be legally purchased in the UAE by non-Muslim residents but only if you possess an annually renewable licence issued by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Abu Dhabi Police, its the law!&nbsp; <br /><br />To obtain one, you have to personally submit a passport photo, a copy of both your residence visa and passport, a letter from your employer (replete with numerous colorful ink stamps) stating your employment status and salary, completed forms and 200 Dirhams (~$50) fee. You have to relinquish your old licence, too.<br /><br />Despite my extreme adversion to anything that even hints of the administrative, I have to admire the tolerance of the Abu Dhabi government to even allow alcohol to be sold/served in their Emirate to us expats and tourists in this Muslim country. It goes against the majority religion but it is a concession to the large dependence on foreign workers in the UAE.<br /><br />I have lived in Utah and the Deep South, USA where the dominant religion(s) extended me less choices than I have here. There were no permits to be had and entire portions of certain states are "dry". <br /><br />Anyway, each and every year I have submitted the exact same documents with the exact same information at the exact same office. I have a thick file already at the police station and I have yet to do anything wrong! There is only one office in the Abu Dhabi City metro area for this purpose and fortunately it was very close to my domicile....until today!<br /><br />I had a coworker drop me off at this particular local police station after work to get this taken care of. I met an officer in the parking lot and told him what I was there for. He said the liquor license operation had moved a couple of days before to another location near downtown. This new bit of information surprised me as I had been to this police station 5 days before but was there after hours and was told to come back later. Nothing was mentioned about the move.<br /><br />The desk sergeant inside drew me a crude map and I decided to take my chances and grab a taxi to the new digs. The location was apparently in between two landmark buildings and should be easy to find. How wrong I was!<br /><br />The taxi driver assured me he knew where this place was but threw up his hands in exasperation when we arrived at the general area. I told him to just let me out and I would fend for myself. I asked no less than five different people where this police station was and all gave me a different answer. Remember, there are no street addresses in Abu Dhabi. Hint: when someone points toward a destination, it is usually wrong by at least 45 degrees.<br /><br />A Good Samaritan finally gave me a ride to another police station in the area. I thought my quest was at an end but they ended up pointing me to another place two blocks over. They didn't do liquor licenses there. I had already been hoofing it for an hour and figured this was my last best chance. <br /><br />I found myself in one of those small blocks of 4-5 story buildings with retail on the ground floor and flats up top as is typical of Abu Dhabi. The place was a mixture of old and new buildings with ongoing renovation. I asked several pedestrians if they knew of a police station in the area, all I got was blank stares and shrugged shoulders. Then I asked a general laborer that was working in the block. He nodded his head yes and pointed to a renovated building 30 meters away from where we stood. I saw two guys just inside the door with police uniforms on and a very small Abu Dhabi Police logo posted outside.<br /><br />I walked over and confirmed I was in the right place. I went upstairs and was issued a bright, shiny new liquor licence within minutes. Everyone I dealt with once inside was pleasant and efficient. I was the only one there. Why? Because it takes a Sherlock Holmes to find the place! There are no obvious signs on the building and one almost has to trip over it to find it. I spent over an hour looking for the only office in Abu Dhabi to renew my liquor licence. <br /><br />I see a problem here. I know the rules and I try to follow them to the best of my ability, but when this is made more difficult than it should be, I reckon others will cut corners and not stay current on their licences. If there is going to be a legal requirement for something, make it easy for folks to comply. I think most would!<br /><br />This place is really hidden and it took me in excess of an hour on foot and many false starts to find it after a long 12 hour night shift. So since I know where it is now and can save my readers time, aggravation and money, send 50AED and I will part with the GPS coordinates. Ace has to eat too! </div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664845922494451246.post-76802123437486622962011-03-17T12:37:00.001+04:002011-03-17T12:38:15.689+04:00Wild Africa Indeed!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Any adult beverage that comes in a bottle wrapped in faux leopard skin should not be taken lightly, ask me how I know!<br /><br />Cool bottle, good taste (think Bailey's Irish Cream), bad hangover!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kYOip84YMW4/TYHHkzYwUnI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/T_YExpaGnt0/s1600/DSCF0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kYOip84YMW4/TYHHkzYwUnI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/T_YExpaGnt0/s400/DSCF0008.JPG" width="361" />&nbsp;</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think I need some hair of the "cat" that bit me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07520874010998859566noreply@blogger.com11